PoliticsMichelle Obama Gives Special Shout-Out to George W. Bush as Fans Obsess Over Their Unlikely Friendship: 'This Gives Me All the Feels'
The Bushes and the Obamas have been friends for almost two decades.
June 24 2026, Published 9:42 a.m. ET
Michelle Obama gave pal George W. Bush a special shout-out at the Obama Presidential Center's opening ceremony in Chicago on June 18.
The former first lady, 62, was gifted a tin of Altoids by Bush, 79, before the event, and she shared a cute video of them on her social media.
Michelle Obama and George W. Bush Shared a Sweet Moment Together Last Week
Michelle Obama shared a new video where she showed off a pack of mints friend George W. Bush gave her.
"It was such a joy getting to spend time with Joe and Jill, George and Laura, and Bill and Hillary last week. Barack and I will always be grateful for your constant friendship and support of our family over the years," Michelle penned in her caption on Instagram.
"(And George, thanks for the mints!)," she went on.
George W. Bush's mints were front and center in the clip.
The video featured Michelle and George hugging each other as they posed for photos.
It also showed former presidents and first ladies, including Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Joe and Jill Biden and Laura Bush gushing over each other.
'This Is So Heartwarming'
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- Jenna Bush Hager Reacts to Dad George W. Bush 'Reuniting' With Michelle Obama and Reveals the Hilarious Gift He Surprised Her With
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Hillary Clinton gave a big hug to Barack Obama at the Obama Presidential Center's opening ceremony.
Fans loved the former United States Air Force officer and the Becoming author's friendship, with someone commenting: "Goosebumps! What gracious normal moments words and people."
"This gives me all the feels," another added, while one chimed in: "This is so heartwarming; let’s go back to happier times."
George W. Bush Gave Michelle Obama a Cough Drop at John McCain's 2018 Funeral
'This made me want to cry. I'd take ANY of them back,' a user happily sobbed online about the former presidents.
"This made me want to cry. I'd take ANY of them back," a user happily wrote, with another commenter joking: "He love him some Michelle."
"Bush made sure he stood next to Michelle," one person interjected. "It really PMO how cute this is," someone else said.
George's Altoids gift traces back to a viral moment in 2018 during John McCain's funeral. At the time, George was caught sneaking Michelle a cough drop during the memorial service.
'I love him to death,' Michelle Obama once said about George W. Bush.
"President Bush and I, we are forever seatmates because of protocol, that's how we sit at all the official functions, so he is my partner in crime at every major thing where all the 'formers' gather," Michelle told the Today show after the moment surfaced online.
"It was a simple gesture. He was getting a cough drop from Laura, and I looked over and I said, 'Hand me a cough drop,'" she recalled, adding George is "a wonderful man" and "a funny man."
"I love him to death," Michelle raved. Months after John's burial, it was the funeral for George H.W. Bush and a similar instance occurred once again. When the Texas-based politician shook hands with Michelle, it appeared that he slipped her a piece of candy.
