Michelle Obama has finally spoken out about why she did not attend Donald Trump’s inauguration in January.
In January, the former first lady caused a stir when she did not attend the inauguration of the 78-year-old president.
She was supposed to be sitting next to Trump during Jimmy Carter’s funeral, but she missed it.
A flurry of suspicions, ranging from political resentment to a possible split in her marriage to former President Barack Obama, were triggered by her consecutive absences.
However, the 61-year-old said that the decision, which she claimed was greeted with “ridicule and criticism,” had nothing to do with scandal and was entirely related to self-care in a recent edition of her recently launched podcast, which also stars actress Taraji P. Henson.
“I’m at this stage in life where I have to define my life on my terms for the first time,” she shared, per Today. “So what are those terms, and going to therapy just to work all that out?”
At the time, the Obamas’ office issued a brief statement about the former attorney’s absence, which read: “Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration.”
The lack of explanation only fueled speculation that something deeper was going on. The mom-of-two directly addressed the rumors: “People couldn’t believe that I was saying no for any other reason, they had to assume that my marriage was falling apart,” cited by The New York Post.
“It took everything in my power to not do the thing that was perceived as right, but do the things that was right for me, that was a hard thing for me to do,” she continued, adding that she is now trying to teach her daughters, Sasha and Malia, “the art of saying no”.
“I want them to start practicing now the art of saying no, because I see it in them – pleasing, excelling, not wanting to take anything for granted, always showing gratitude,” Obama said. “Feeling like they’re enough right now. It’s a practice. It’s a muscle that you have to build. Because if you don’t constantly build it, you don’t develop it.”
