Michelle Obama has given us a heartfelt glimpse into her life after leaving the White House, opening up to her close friend Melinda Gates in a recent episode of the podcast Moments That Make Us.
The former First Lady, 60, shared the emotional transition from the presidential residence to a more ordinary life, highlighting the newfound freedom and the adjustment period that came with it.
During their candid conversation, Michelle and Melinda, 59, showcased their deep bond, with Melinda gushing about her friend and expressing how "lucky" she feels to have Michelle in her life. The podcast episode, filled with warmth and laughter, touched on various aspects of Michelle’s post-White House life, including the surreal experience of hearing a doorbell ring for the first time in years.
Reflecting on her departure from the White House, Michelle admitted that it was both strange and liberating to say goodbye to her time as an official.
She explained that she and her husband, former President Barack Obama, decided to stay in Washington, D.C., for the sake of their daughters, Malia, 26, and Sasha, 23. “We made the decision to stay in Washington, D.C., because the girls were in school and their lives were in D.C.,” she shared.
© InstagramMelinda celebrated Michelle’s appearance on the podcast by posting a set of charming photos on her Instagram account. T
he two friends were all smiles as they embraced, looking chic as ever. Melinda wore a stylish white and blue midi dress cinched at the waist, while Michelle dazzled in a green sleeveless utility-style dress paired with black sandals. “
I’m lucky to call Michelle Obama a friend,” Melinda captioned the snap. “She shared what it felt like to transition out of the White House, how knitting reminds her of the importance of small actions, and why she makes a point to cultivate new friendships.”
Michelle opened up about the surreal experience of leaving the White House, detailing their final helicopter ride in Air Force One.
“It was strange, you take the final helicopter ride, our very last ride on Air Force One. We took a quick vacation to Palm Springs, so the day after we were out of D.C., we were in another place so it felt like we were on vacation but then when we came back to our new home, it was odd,” she recounted.
Adjusting to life on a different street and experiencing a newfound sense of freedom was both exhilarating and challenging.
© Getty ImagesMichelle confessed, “It was odd coming down a different street and parking through a different set of barricades — because we still had barricades, we still had Secret Service — but I had a front door that I could open where people would walk up to visit and ring the doorbell, and our dogs didn’t know what a doorbell was.” She added that it was a “huge” deal to return to some sense of normalcy and realize how “sheltered” their lives had been in the White House.
During the conversation, Michelle also shared insights into raising her daughters, emphasizing the importance of teaching them to be “stand-up young people on their own.” She said, “I never felt my job was to create mini-mes, or create people who were going to live out some brokenness in me or fill some hole or to be my friend. As my girls joke, I always said — my favorite line was, ‘I’m not one of your little friends.’”
© Chip SomodevillaMichelle highlighted the unique challenges her daughters faced as children of a former president, noting, “They are watched. They had to learn how to balance the unwanted attention, but do it politely. To build their own lives in the spotlight and not be eaten up by it.” Despite living in the opulent White House, Michelle ensured that Malia and Sasha understood the importance of independence and self-sufficiency. “But I was raising them thinking, ‘You’re not going to live here, and with me, forever. So I’ve got to hand you your life soon and let you manage it,’” she explained.
The Obama family moved into the White House in 2009 when Malia and Sasha were just eight and ten years old. They left in 2017 after Barack completed two terms as President. Throughout their time there, the girls attended the prestigious Sidwell Friends School, growing up under the nation’s watchful eye but grounded by their parents’ guidance.
