Michelle Obama clarified rumors regarding her marriage and clarified her recent absence from public events was not related to divorce speculations. During an interview on Sophia Bush’s Work in Progress podcast, she addressed the assumptions surrounding her temporary withdrawal from the public eye, emphasizing her commitment to her 31-year marriage with former President Barack Obama. Michelle highlighted that despite her non-attendance at certain events alongside her husband, there were no marital issues but rather a conscious decision regarding how she chooses to allocate her time. Moreover, she discussed the importance of women being able to decline opportunities without feeling guilty, noting the public's tendency to draw unwarranted conclusions about her personal decisions. Michelle reiterated that the focus should be on respecting her autonomy and not hastily jumping to misconceptions about her marriage. Michelle and Barack Obama, who wed in 1992 and have two daughters, are working towards the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago in 2025.