Fact Check: Did Michelle Obama regret publicly backing Kamala Harris in 2024 presidential election?

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In the aftermath of the 2024 US presidential election, a rumor has been making waves online, claiming that former first lady Michelle Obama has regretted publicly backing Democratic nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris. 

This speculation has sparked from the Obamas' vocal support for Harris during her campaign, with both attending rallies and the Democratic National Convention to throw their weight behind her.

The rumor has gained momentum with several social media users sharing posts supporting this claim. But let's explore the truth behind this viral claim.

Claim: Michelle Obama regrets backing Kamala Harris in 2024 presidential race

Several posts across X, Facebook, Threads, and other social media platforms have shared a claim originating from the news app SmartNews, featuring an article with the headline, 'Michelle Obama Regrets Backing Kamala Harris'.

The claim was linked to an article published on November 21 by SoapSpoiler.com. The article stated, "Obama regrets backing Kamala Harris. She now feels she should have trusted her gut instinct before deciding to fully support Kamala, who ultimately lost the presidential election to none other than Donald Trump. Not supporting anyone and not even voting would have been a better decision.”

It continued, “But then again, Michelle did have her own chance at running for president but chose not to pursue it. She’s already been through the pressures of the White House when her husband, Barack Obama, was president and didn’t want to return to that level of stress.”

The article concluded with, “However, if Michelle had known how poorly Kamala would perform in interviews and at campaign rallies, she wouldn't have backed her in the way that she did.”

Viral claim about Michelle Obama and Kamala Harris debunked

According to Snopes, the rumor has been debunked as unfounded. The article detailing the viral claim did not cite any credible sources or provide anonymous sources, relying solely on "heavy speculation" without any attribution.

The SoapSpoiler.com article was attributed to an author named Bernice Emanuel. However, the photo used for the author was a stock image from Alamy.com, labeled "Close-up portrait of a healthy older woman smiling outside."

Additionally, the website published another article with the headline, "Michelle Obama Wants to Run for President in 2028?"

This article also relied on heavy speculation and lacked credible sources. As there are no reliable sources backing the viral claim, and neither Kamala Harris nor Michelle Obama have commented on it, the rumor is considered baseless.