Former First Lady Michelle Obama is making it clear: she has no interest in running for political office—and it’s all about protecting her family.
“I was so glad when we got out of the White House,” she said during a recent interview, reflecting on the end of her husband Barack Obama’s presidency in 2017.
Now 61, Michelle explained that life after the presidency has given her daughters, Malia and Sasha, the space to begin living on their own terms.
“I wanted them to have the freedom of not having the eyes of the world on them,” she shared. “They’re still dealing with paparazzi and the pressure of who they are, while trying to figure out who they want to be.”
Because of that, Michelle says a run for public office is out of the question.
“When people ask me if I’d ever run, the answer is no,” she said. “People don’t realize the kind of sacrifice your kids make when their parents are in that position.”
The former attorney and best-selling author added, “Not only am I not interested in politics like that, but the idea of putting my girls back in that spotlight when they’re finally building their own lives—we’ve done enough.”