Obama's Latest Solo Outing Has Everyone Wondering The Same Thing About Michelle

Barack Obama got quite the warm greeting at a basketball game this week. However, the spotlight was once again stolen by his and Michelle Obama's strange habit of not appearing in public together, and divorce rumors are going into overdrive. 

On March 5, 2025, the former president was front and center to watch the Los Angeles Clippers battle it out on the court with the Detroit Pistons. Barack sat with Steve Ballmer, the owner of the Clippers, to watch the game — but it's who he wasn't sitting with that is getting social media attention. The crowd at Wednesday's game roared when they got a wave from Barack, who watched the Clippers win from behind the baseline. It seems that this fun night out was not a date night, though, and this has piqued the interest of the internet. 

Of course, Barack can go to sporting events by himself, and Michelle can choose to skip out on evening outings without it meaning trouble in paradise. In the context of the past few months, though, speculation is growing. Michelle wasn't at Jimmy Carter's funeral alongside her husband back in January, and she was notably missing from Donald Trump's inauguration later that month. Are Michelle's repeated absences from public events simply coincidences or signs that this beloved couple is struggling? Unsurprisingly, theories are mixed.

A post on X, formerly known as Twitter, showed Barack Obama receiving a standing ovation at the Los Angeles Clippers game. Plenty of comments on the tweet addressed the former president's joyful reception and expressed nostalgia for the days he was in charge. However, other commenters echoed concern about the state of his marriage, like one X user who put it simply by asking, "Where's Michelle?" 

The New York Post even tweeted about the event and poked at the speculation, writing, "Barack Obama attends Los Angeles Clippers game without Michelle as marriage rumors swirl." In the comment section, some folks shot the accusations down, with one saying, "Do you never go to a game without your spouse? People do things." Another echoed this, writing, "so if you don't bring your wife to a sporting event your marriage is in trouble if i go by the headline!" 

Others poked fun at the possibility that an Obama divorce really is in the works. "Pete Davidson has the chance to do one of the funniest things," someone joked, suggesting that the serial celeb-dater could be a rebound in the event of a Barack-and-Michelle split. Time will tell whether this decades-long marriage is really nearing its end. In the meantime, though, Michelle better not skip out on any more basketball games, lest the rumors continue.