Michelle Obama has once again made it clear she has no plans to enter electoral politics, saying she will “never ever” run for office.
In a podcast episode released Tuesday, host Jamie Kern Lima asked the former first lady whether she might reconsider her long-standing decision not to seek political office. Obama’s answer was firm and immediate: “No, never ever.”
Her comments follow recent remarks at an event in New York earlier this month, where she argued that the United States still isn’t prepared to elect a woman to the presidency. “That’s why I’m like, don’t even look at me about running, because you all are lying. You’re not ready for a woman. You are not,” she said at the time.
She added that she believes many men in the country remain uneasy with the idea of being led by a woman. “You know, we’ve got a lot of growing up to do, and there’s still, sadly, a lot of men who do not feel like they can be led by a woman, and we saw it,” she said.
Obama has repeatedly brushed aside speculation that she might seek the presidency, emphasizing instead how she understands her role as a leader now. Speaking with Lima, she described this phase of her life as intentionally shifting from center stage to making room for others.
“I believe that our job as leaders is to come in, do our part, bring others up, move out of the way,” she said. “This stage of my life is purposefully and mindfully planning my step aside, not my exit. But it’s like, you got to step up, whatever that is. And so it’s the opposite of holding on to the thing. It’s letting go.”
During the conversation, Obama also criticized recent renovations to the White House’s East Wing under President Donald Trump, as the building adds a lavish ballroom. She said the changes left her feeling a sense of loss.
“I felt a loss for us as a nation, but personally you know, that’s not our house, that’s the people’s house,” she said.
Obama told Lima that the renovations left her confused and saddened, reinforcing deeper questions about whether the country still shares a strong sense of common values.
