Michelle Obama addressed "rumors" about her family as speculation of divorce continues to swirl.
The former first lady tiptoed around the elephant in the room as she dismissed "negative energy" directed at her and her husband, who are rumored to be heading for a separation as some speculate that former president Obama is tied to Jennifer Aniston.
The divorce gossip started earlier this year after Michelle Obama failed to make appearances at major public events with President Obama, including Jimmy Carter's funeral and the inauguration of President Trump.
After a period of absence, Michelle returned to the spotlight last week to launch a new podcast, IMO, with her brother Craig Robinson.
While she did not comment on the alleged tensions in her marriage, she cited numerous examples of controversies over the years that have caused headaches for her family, including the rumors about President Obama's birth certificate.
"People always ask me and Barack how we stayed hopeful—not just during the eight years in the White House but beyond,” she said. “Because, let me tell you, there was a lot of negative energy coming our way—a lot of rumors, a lot of gossip," she said on the show.
Michelle Obama added that she never looks at the comments on her social media posts, pointing to "made up" claims from strangers.
“You cannot live through social media,” she said. “Don’t let that negative energy enter into your space," she added, "These are people who don’t know you. A lot of this stuff is made up, and it does not feed you.”
The comments about "rumors" and "gossip" were seen by some as a subtle response to the recent chatter of marital woes.
Like she has done before, Obama also shared some light-hearted criticism of her husband, poking fun at his difficulties with being punctual early on in their relationship.
“I was like, ‘Dude, a 3 o’clock departure means you’ve done all that,’ you know, it’s like, don’t start looking for your glasses at the 3 o’clock departure,” she added.
"He’s improved over 30 years of marriage, but that was a ‘you must adjust,'” she added.
The divorce rumors have spread even as President Obama is said to be romantically involved with Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston - who laughed off the "absolutely untrue" claims during an interview last year.
