Meghan McCain and an elite Washington insider dished on Barack and Michelle Obama’s relationship amid unconfirmed rumors that the former First Couple are getting divorced.
Speculation on their relationship status has run rampant in recent weeks, coming to a head when Michelle skipped out on both the inauguration and Jimmy Carter’s funeral that Barack attended.
Speaking to Puck reporter Tara Palmieri on her podcast, McCain brought up that she’s been hearing rumors of a split.
‘I have been hearing this rumor that the Obamas are getting a divorce by reputable people. I’m not talking about TMZ. I’m not talking about Perez Hilton… I’m talking about like very serious journalists telling me that they’re hearing that the Obama divorce rumors are true.’
Palmieri delivered a bombshell of her own, saying: ‘We’ve heard that for a long time, like I just heard that they live separate lives.’
The pair then gossiped about the photo Barack posted before the weekend celebrating Michelle’s birthday.
‘Happy birthday to the love of my life, @MichelleObama,’ he wrote, alongside a snap that showed them holding hands while enjoying dinner.
McCain and Pamieri were less than convinced and especially horrified by the photo quality.
‘I would kill Ben if he put a picture of me looking like no makeup with that lighting on social media,’ the former The View co-host said, referring to her husband, Ben Domenech.
‘I would kill him. So for me it didn’t help the rumors, and like why are you putting this like s****y picture of your wife up?’
Palmieri noted that now that the Obamas are no longer in politics, this is a chance to drop Washington completely.
‘I am not at home with them, but it’s not really surprising at this phase of their life and she clearly has very little interest – she’s always hated politics! She did not really like being First Lady.’
The image featured a smiling Barack in a gray button down top and black dress pants, as he sat across from Michelle, who donned a dark V-neck sweater dress and a patterned headpiece.
They lovingly grabbed each other’s hands as they faced the camera.
Michelle has since shared the post to her own account alongside a simple caption that read: ‘Love you, honey!’
Michelle – who turned 61 years old last week – was not present at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral on January 9 due to a ‘scheduling conflict.’
In addition, it was revealed that she would not be attending Donald Trump‘s inauguration ceremony with her husband on Monday.
The Office of Barack and Michelle Obama told Associated Press this week in a statement, ‘Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration.’
Immediately after the announcement, fans of the political power couple became concerned that there may be trouble in paradise.
However, there were some who dismissed the rumor and instead suggested Michelle was only making a political statement.
The last time the pair was seen together was in early mid-December, over a month ago, when they stepped out for dinner in Los Angeles.
Last October, actress Jennifer Aniston publicly shut down ‘absolutely untrue’ claims by a US gossip magazine that she and Barack were in a relationship – making Michelle feel ‘betrayed.’
The rumor was compounded by the hosts of a popular pop culture podcast Who? Weekly, who claimed that the Obamas were ‘living separate lives’ while he and Jennifer were having a full-blown affair.
The Friends star told a US TV chat show host: ‘I’ve met him once. I know Michelle more than him.’
The couple, who first met in 1989 when they both worked at a law firm in Chicago, married in 1992.
They welcomed their first daughter, Malia, six years later in 1998, and their second daughter, Sasha, in 2001.
Over the years, the couple has spoken candidly about their martial struggles, with Michelle previously describing the ‘resentment’ she had over having to put her career on hold to be a mother while Barack’s continued to flourish.
And tensions only grew during their time in the White House – thanks to the immense ‘pressure’ that came with ‘needing to get everything right and be “on” at every moment,’ as well as Barack’s focus on his work rather than his family.
But even at their worst, Barack explained to The Breakfast Club that they never let their arguments turn too ugly – and that they always ‘respected’ one another.
And he made it clear that even when they would fight, he never considered a divorce.
‘We were pretty good even when things were tough, we never loss basic respect for the other person,’ he shared.
‘We never thought that person was a bad person. We never said things that would make it seem that you completely disrespect me.
‘It was more, “I love you, Barack, but this is driving me crazy,” or, “I respect you, but…” I think that’s what kept us ’cause we never doubted each other’s intentions.
‘Michelle is a remarkable woman. Even if she drives me crazy sometimes, I never thought that there was anybody who I would rather be with.’