Michelle Obama reveals she had to 'trick' herself to skip Trump’s inauguration: 'That was a hard thing'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Michelle Obama has finally addressed her ~q!`much-discussed decision to sit out President Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017.
On a recent episode of her 'IMO Podcast', co-hosted with her brother Craig Robinson, the former first lady described the move as difficult but necessary, and emphasized the importance of doing what felt right for her personally, Page Six reported.
Michelle Obama shares why she skipped Donald Trump’s inauguration
In a conversation with guest Taraji P Henson, Michelle Obama shared that she intentionally opted not to have anything formal to wear that day as a way to commit to her choice.
“I had to basically trick myself out of it, and it started with not having anything to wear,” she said, explaining that having an outfit ready might have nudged her toward attending to satisfy public expectations.
Obama shared, “I was like, if I’m not going to do this thing, I’ve got to tell my team. I don’t even want to have a dress ready, right?” She explained that having something ready to wear might’ve made it easier to cave and say, “Let me do the right thing (and attend).”
"My decision to skip the inauguration — you know what people don't realize, or my decision to make choices at the beginning of this year that suited me, were met with such ridicule and criticism," she said.
Michelle also took aim at critics who speculated her absence was due to marital issues. “People couldn’t believe that I was saying no for any other reason,” she said. “They had to assume that my marriage was falling apart.
She spoke about the importance of learning to say “no,” particularly for women. “It took everything in my power to not do the thing that was perceived as right, but do the thing that was right for me. That was a hard thing for me to do.”
The former first lady stressed the need to challenge outdated expectations placed on women, especially those in the public eye.
Barack Obama did attend Trump’s inauguration and recently joked about trying to make up for lost time in his marriage after years in the White House. The Obamas, married since 1992, share two daughters, Malia and Sasha, who now live together in Los Angeles.
Internet reacts as Michelle Obama reveals why she skipped Donald Trump’s inauguration
Michelle Obama opened up about why she chose not to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration, and people on social media wasted no time reacting to it.
The former first lady reflected on how protecting her peace, especially after years of public scrutiny and disrespect, shaped her decision. Many users praised her vulnerability and strength, particularly resonating with her message about boundaries.
One supporter wrote, “The vulnerability and knowledge being passed in this episode is so deep. Made me cry. Huge takeaway as a Black woman of learning to say NO!”
Another added, “I was happy you ain't go to that clown show 'inauguration.' I felt like it was the right thing for all of us to see. Glad you also did it for yourself.”
There was also a strong wave of respect and admiration, with one saying, “Michelle owes us nothing. God bless the Obamas!”
“Michelle Obama, please know that we miss seeing you in the White House dearly. You served with grace, humility, patriotism, and so much more,” one wrote.
Some pointed out the double standards, saying, “What’s the big deal? Trump skipped Biden’s inauguration because he couldn’t accept Americans had voted him out of office.”
Another added, “After the way Trump treated Obama with that whole birther debacle and the way Trump treated the Obamas at the start of his first turn, she had every right not to go his shindig. She no longer has to be a hypocrite and be nice to people who aren’t nice to her. Trump has never said one nice thing about her so why bow down to him? Leave that to MAGA.”
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
