NEWSMichelle Obama Admits Being First Lady 'Wasn't My Plan' as She Prides Herself on 'Bravery' of Serving Role With 'No Training'
Michelle Obama got honest about how being the first lady was never apart of her 'plan.'
July 22 2026, Published 6:17 p.m. ET
Michelle Obama spilled details about her life in the White House, admitting she had no idea what she was walking into when she became the First Lady.
The subject came up during a live recording of her "IMO" podcast at South by Southwest in London, shared on Wednesday, July 22, which she co-hosts with her brother, Craig Robinson.
Michelle Obama spoke about being the first lady during a live taping of her 'IMO' podcast.
Michelle Obama Got Candid About Being a Podcast Host
Michelle Obama spoke about how her past experience prepared her to become a podcast host.
Robinson, 54, asked the former first lady how her life experiences prepared her to become a podcast host.
Obama, 62, joked, "None of it," before explaining that the biggest lesson she learned was how to be "courageous."
Michelle Obama Confessed Being First Lady Wasn't Her 'Plan'
Michelle Obama said she 'figured out' how to be the First Lady while her husband was in office.
"The feeling that I guess we can do this because we did all these other things," she said on stage. "That bravery makes you brave to try anything at any age."
The Becoming author said she'd "gotten used" to facing challenges, pointing to her time in the White House during her husband Barack Obama's presidency from 2009 to 2017.
"I was the first lady. That wasn't my plan. I had no training for that, wasn't my idea," she recounted as the audience erupted in cheers. "But we figured it out. I figured if I can be First Lady, I can do a podcast with my brother."
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Michelle Obama On Media Attention She Received in the White House
Michelle Obama claimed media coverage during her time as first lady focused on her fashion choices.
Michelle frequently offers glimpses into her life during her eight years as first lady.
Most recently, the attorney opened up about her frustration with the media coverage she received during that time, claiming the focus was often placed on her fashion choices rather than the message she was trying to deliver.
Michelle Obama Claimed the Media Was 'Trying to Slow' Her Down
Barack Obama and Michelle Obama tied the knot in 1992.
"This is when I understood, like, this is politics," she told co-host Keke Palmer during a taping of her podcast at the Essence Festival earlier this month. "Oh, they're coming after me because I'm useful, and they're trying to beat my husband [Barack Obama], so they're trying to slow me down."
She went on to explain that the constant attention on her wardrobe quickly became a pattern she grew accustomed to.
“And some of those first articles, they would always start, ‘She was wearing a purple sheath, and she had on this pair of shoes.’ It wouldn't matter what I said, Keke," she continued. "The article would start with what I had on. And I realized, ‘Oh, this is how they do women in politics.'"
