Michelle Obama ‘could not stand’ Barack during first 10 years of raising ‘terrorist’ children

From Left, Malia Obama, former US President Barack Obama, Sasha Obama and Michelle Obama. Photo / Getty Images

Michelle Obama has confessed that for 10 years she “couldn’t stand” her husband Barack as they raised their “terrorist” daughters and tried to build their careers.

The former first lady said that when daughters Malia and Sasha were young she and Barack found it difficult to balance work and home life, and that looking after young children made them turn on each other.

Speaking at a roundtable event for Revolt, Mrs Obama said: “We don’t talk about how much work is required and how hard it is even when you are madly in love with the person, even when everything works out right.

“People think I’m being catty for saying this: it’s like, there were 10 years where I couldn’t stand my husband. And guess when it happened? When those kids were little.”

‘Little kids cry all the time’

Barack and Michelle met at a law firm in Chicago in 1989 and married in 1992. Barack was first elected to the Illinois Senate in 1996.

Malia, 24, and Sasha, 21, were born in 1998 and 2001 respectively, and were 7 and 10 when their family moved into the White House in 2009 after several years on the campaign trail.

“Little kids, they’re terrorists. They have demands. They don’t talk. They’re poor communicators. They cry all the time,” Mrs Obama said.

“They’re irrational. They’re needy. And you love them. And so you can’t blame them, right? So you turn that ire on each other.”

Mrs Obama was speaking following the release of her new book, The Light We Carry, which features previously untold stories from her past. It also offers advice on building relationships, navigating change and encouraging readers to “light up” for others.

But she spoke candidly about the difficult period of her life, saying that others “give up” when times get difficult.

“For 10 years while we’re trying to build our careers and worrying about school and who’s doing what and what, I was like, ‘Argh, this isn’t even!’” Mrs Obama said.

“And guess what? Marriage isn’t 50/50, ever. Ever. There are times I’m 70, he’s 30. There are times he’s 60, 40. But guess what? Ten years. We’ve been married 30. I would take 10 bad years over 30 – it’s just how you look at it. People give up – ‘Five years; I can’t take it’.”

‘You’re still a kind, smart person’

Reflecting on her relationship with her husband, who became the first black president of the United States after winning the 2008 election, Mrs Obama said: “I mean, you could be mad at him, but do you still look at him and go, ‘I’m not happy with you, but I respect you. I don’t agree with you, but you’re still a kind, smart person.’

“The feelings are going to change over time.”

The couple still live in Washington and are building a new multimillion-dollar beachfront home in Hawaii.

After leaving office, the couple signed a joint deal worth an estimated $65 million (NZ$100) to publish their memoirs. They have also signed a Netflix contract worth US$50m. A three-year deal with Spotify, worth US$25m, has come to an end and the couple have now signed with Amazon’s audible in a deal worth a reported $20m.