Former President Barack Obama made a surprise appearance on the July 16 episode of “IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson,” the podcast hosted by the former first lady and her brother. The cameo marked the couple’s first joint public comments on months-long social-media speculation that their 32-year marriage was faltering. The trio opened the show with light banter about the gossip. "She took me back. It was touch and go for a while," Barack Obama joked after greeting his wife, prompting Robinson to ask whether the pair still liked each other. Michelle Obama quipped that whenever they are not seen together, "folks think we’re divorced." Turning serious, the former first lady said “there hasn’t been one moment in our marriage where I thought about quitting on my man,” acknowledging that the relationship has faced “really hard times” alongside “a lot of fun times” and adventures. Her husband added that he is often unaware of the online chatter until someone mentions it to him. Rumors intensified earlier this year when Barack Obama attended the December 2024 funeral of former President Jimmy Carter and President Donald Trump’s January 2025 inauguration without his wife. Wednesday’s podcast appearance, Barack Obama’s first on the series launched in March, aimed to put the speculation to rest. The Obamas, married since 1992 and parents to daughters Malia and Sasha, previously addressed their partnership in memoirs and separate interviews but had not commented jointly on the divorce claims until now.