Michelle Obama has opened up about a new, personal reason why she chose not to attend Donald Trump’s second inauguration — and it has less to do with politics and more to do with wardrobe and self-care.
“It started with not having anything to wear,” the former First Lady said on a new episode of her podcast, IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson.
“I was like, if I’m not going to do this thing, I don’t even want to have a dress ready.”
Obama revealed she made a conscious decision not to pack or prepare for the event, saying she didn’t want to feel tempted to attend out of obligation. The decision, she explained, was part of a broader effort to prioritize her own well-being and set an example for her daughters, Sasha and Malia, about “the art of saying no.”
“It’s a practice, it’s a muscle,” she said. “If you don’t build it, you don’t develop it.”
The former First Lady also addressed speculation and criticism that followed her absence, including rumors that her marriage to former President Barack Obama was in trouble.
“People couldn’t believe I was saying no for any other reason,” she said. “They had to assume my marriage was falling apart.”
Actress Taraji P. Henson, who joined Michelle and her brother Craig in the episode, praised her decision, saying women in the public eye are often expected to put everyone else first.
“When do you ever get to live for you?” Henson asked. “I applaud you.”
Michelle Obama previously confirmed her absence in a joint statement with President Obama ahead of the January 20 inauguration, and she also skipped the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter earlier this year.
In a separate interview on Sophia Bush’s podcast, Obama dismissed ongoing divorce rumors and reiterated that her decision was rooted in personal boundaries, not relationship issues.
“I’m here really trying to own my life and intentionally practice making the choice that was right for me,” she said.