Michelle and Barack Obama have made a show of unity after being spotted on a romantic date night at one of their favorite Italian restaurants in Washington DC.
The couple was all smiles as they made their way through the busy Osteria Mozza in Georgetown on the weekend, stopping to wave at patrons as they swatted away rumors of marital woes.
Former President Obama shook hands with a worker at the Italian eatery, where a main course ranges between $34 to $175.
It comes as the couple have been forced to deny rumors and speculation that they could be headed for divorce.
Barack flashed a few smiles, and raised his hand to wave at the gawking customers as Michelle walked on, head slightly bowed and face unchanged, in front of him.
The Obamas were met with cheers at the restaurant, which has become a favorite for the couple since it opened in 2024.
The former president was seen dining at the Washington hotspot just a day before President Trump’s inauguration. Michelle was not with him on that occasion, and did not attend the ceremony.
Other patrons were in awe during their recent visit, with video of the sweet moment capturing guests repeatedly saying ‘oh my God’ in amongst the cheers.
Michelle looked classy in a grey blazer and jeans, while Barack wore a casual black shirt and matching jacket.
Prior to this outing, Barack was last seen with Michelle in December, nearly five months ago.
‘Now the haters can take a rest that was worried about their marriage. They will always be my President and First Lady,’ one supporter said after the video went viral.
Others pointed out that the couple must ‘love that spot’ given they’re ‘always there.’
In addition to Barack’s visit in January, Michelle has also eaten at the swanky ‘California-style Italian’ restaurant before.
She hosted a 10-person holiday dinner for her team back in November, just two weeks after the restaurant opened in Washington DC’s Georgetown neighborhood.
Her decision not to attend President Jimmy Carter’s funeral or the Inauguration – which both took place in January – sparked concerns about the duo’s relationship.
Barack recently also revealed he was in a ‘deep deficit’ with his wife and has been trying to ‘dig his way out by doing fun things.’
The former first lady addressed the speculation during a recent interview with actress Sophia Bush for an episode of her podcast Work in Progress.
‘That’s the thing that we as women, I think we struggle with disappointing people,’ she said.
‘So much so that this year people were, you know, they couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing.
‘That this couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself, right?’
Her 61st birthday was three days before the inauguration.
The former president posted a picture of them together to mark Michelle’s special day.
The couple – who met as young lawyers working for the same Chicago firm in 1989 – celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary in October and shared a photo of them hugging each other at a museum in New York.
‘I couldn’t have asked for a better partner and friend to go through life with,’’ Barack wrote in a message accompanying the photo.
She echoed the sentiment, adding: ‘32 action-packed years with my honey! Through it all, thank you for always having my back, being by my side, and finding ways to make me smile. I love you, @Barack Obama.’
The Obamas also attempted to quash speculation about their marriage by posting a romantic selfie smiling and embracing on Instagram for Valentine’s Day.
‘Thirty-two years together and you still take my breath away. Happy Valentine’s Day, Michelle Obama!’ the Democrat wrote in a social media caption.
Michelle shared the same photo, adding: ‘If there’s one person I can always count on, it’s you, Barack Obama. You’re my rock. Always have been. Always will be. Happy Valentine’s Day, honey!’
And in her latest podcast episode with Tracee Ellis Ross and her brother Craig Robinson, the trio spoke about what it was like when she first started dating Barack.
Robinson revealed that he felt that when Michelle and Barack Obama began dating, he did not think the relationship would last a month.
‘I’ve told this story many times about when you first started dating Barack. So Mich starts to date Barack, and we don’t know who this guy is, we’re just like, ‘Barack? Who’s got a name like Barack?’ And I’m thinking it’s gonna last a month like most of your relationships,’ Robinson said chuckling, adding that he felt the relationship was ‘not going to last.’
Michelle Obama stressed to her listeners that marriage was difficult.
‘Marriage is hard and it is reasonably hard, you know, it’s the right kind of hard but don’t get upset when it’s hard,’ she said.
‘The reality is that if you choose to have a traditional marriage and you have kids let me tell you the years from one to 13 will be bad for you as an adult,’ she said. ‘It’s beautiful but they will take you for a loop.’