Michelle Obama Rules Out Political Run; 'I’m Not Going Away'

Spread love

Michelle Obama in Wildcard podcast Talks of Future Plans and Life without Politics

By TRH News Desk

NEW DELHI, June 27, 2025 –Former US First Lady Michelle Obama firmly shut down speculation about a potential presidential run during an appearance on the Wildcard podcast. She declared, “I’m not going away,” but stressed her disinterest in partisan politics.

Her comments were made in a wide-ranging conversation released this week. She sought to put to rest persistent rumours about her as a potential Democratic nominee for the future presidential elections. Yet she asserted her intent to remain a cultural and civic force.

“I’m not giving another political speech,” Obama stated, reinforcing her long-standing aversion to electoral politics. “Not only am I not interested in politics in that way, but the thought of putting my girls back into that spotlight when they are just now establishing themselves—it’s like, you know, okay. I think we’ve done enough,” she added, referencing her daughters, Malia and Sasha.

The remarks come amid years of speculation, stoked by both Democrats and Republicans, that Michelle Obama could emerge as a Democratic presidential contender. A 2024 Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 50% of registered voters favoured her over Donald Trump in a hypothetical matchup, making her the only Democratic figure to decisively lead the former president. Despite her popularity, Michelle Obama has consistently rejected the idea of running for office. In a 2019 interview on Conan O’Brien’s podcast, she cited the loss of anonymity and her disconnect from the everyday experiences of Americans as reasons to steer clear of politics. Her office reiterated this stance in 2024, stating, “As former First Lady Michelle Obama has expressed several times over the years, she will not be running for president.”

NBC News reported that Michelle Obama’s Wildcard appearance reflects her desire to focus on nonpartisan initiatives, such as her When We All Vote organization, which aims to boost voter engagement. The Hill noted that her remarks align with her 2024 podcast interview on On Purpose with Jay Shetty, where she expressed fears about the upcoming election but stopped short of endorsing a political role for herself. The New York Times highlighted her new video podcast, IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson, as part of her pivot to cultural and personal storytelling, steering clear of political campaigns.

Charlie Kirk, in a post on X, said: “Michelle Obama says she will never run for President… ‘I think we’ve done enough,’” suggesting her exit from the political stage dashes speculation about a 2024 or 2028 bid. The speculation about Michelle Obama’s political ambitions has been a recurring theme.

While she campaigned for Kamala Harris in 2024, delivering a passionate speech in Michigan and penning a New York Times op-ed on reproductive rights, Michelle Obama has made clear her discomfort with partisan politics. In her 2018 memoir Becoming, she described politics as a challenging arena that tested her marriage and personal life, a theme she revisited in a 2025 Work in Progress podcast with Sophia Bush. Her absence from events like Trump’s second inauguration and Jimmy Carter’s funeral further underscored her retreat from political spotlight, sparking brief rumours of marital trouble that she dismissed as overblown.

Follow The Raisina Hills on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn