Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Jan. 20, 2025. It's tradition for former presidents and their families to attend, although it's not mandatory. So, when former president Barack Obama made an appearance with his wife notably missing, people took notice.

Michelle Obama's decision to skip Trump's inauguration ignited a firestorm of rumors about her marriage—which she addressed on her podcast.

The former first lady had to ‘trick’ herself into following through on her desire to skip Trump’s swearing-in.