Sasha And Malia Obama's First Kisses Were Anything But Romantic, Says Mom Michelle
When former President Barack Obama took office in January 2009, his daughters Sasha and Malia Obama were just seven and 10 years old. By the time their father completed his second term, the girls had grown into beautiful young ladies, though their teen years were nothing like that of their peers. Growing up in the spotlight meant that the quintessential things that most adolescents experience, such as dating, dances, and outings with friends, were under a microscope from the press and their extensive security detail.
Their mother, Michelle Obama, has spoken out about her children's time living in the presidential mansion, sometimes oversharing the slightly embarrassing things that most teens shy away from disclosing. One of the most humiliating aspects that former First Lady Obama has no issue discussing is her daughters' love lives. As if this isn't an already difficult process to navigate for most teenage girls, their mother has admitted that the extensive eyes fixated on them made dating even harder for the girls while living in Washington, D.C.
Sasha and Malia Obama had their first kisses while their family was in the White House
Sasha and Malia Obama are now college graduates with much more flourishing social lives. Sasha is dating the son of actor Clifton Powell, filmmaker and brand content creator Clifton Powell Jr. Her sister is rumored to be dating record producer Dawit Eklund. While they now have more room to be openly romantic with their partners, their first kisses were inside the White House. Needless to say, they were more uncomfortable than they were affectionate, as confirmed by doting mother, Michelle Obama. She made the cringy revelation during 2019's Essence Fest, in an intimate talk with Gayle King. "Imagine trying to have your first kiss [around] a bunch of men [with guns] and earpieces," she told the host.
This was not the first time that Michelle had disclosed the dating experiences of her daughters while President Barack Obama ran the country. In her 2018 memoir, "Becoming," she revealed another instance where Malia was going to dinner with a young man before a school dance. According to Michelle's account, Secret Service had to follow the couple around all night, which likely embarrassed Malia to no end. Now as grown women, the sisters are still followed around by guards, but with much less stress.
Sasha and Malia's friendships were also impacted by the overbearing security
As with all presidential children, any sense of privacy is nonexistent. Unfortunately, that goes beyond just dealing with boys. Former First Lady Michelle Obama says her children were unable to attend their friend's houses without a thorough investigation and clearance, as explained to renowned journalist Gayle King.
"Imagine having Malia and Sasha come to your house for a sleepover. This is the call: 'OK, we're gonna need your social security number, we're gonna need your date of birth. There will be men coming to sweep your house. If you have guns and drugs, just tell them. Because they're going to find them anyway," Michelle shared during their Essence Fest talk. The best-selling author confessed that it often surprised her that the two were able to maintain steady friendships given the strict guidelines that anyone in contact with them had to follow.
Outside the White House, the entire Obama family continues to thrive. Malia works in Hollywood as a director and writer for several major film projects. Sasha, who graduated from the University of Southern California in May 2023 with a degree in sociology, is enjoying her post-grad life in Los Angeles.