Former first lady Michelle Obama has become reluctant to publicly campaign for President Biden’s reelection, in part due to the way her family treated her close friend Kathleen Buhl after her divorce from Hunter Biden, according to a new report.
The wife of former President Barack Obama has largely stayed away from the 2024 campaign after privately expressing her displeasure at being ostracized by Buhl from the Biden family several years ago. Axios reportedHe cited two sources familiar with the relationship.
Michelle Obama’s disdain for partisan politics also contributed to her absence during this election cycle, they added.
The former first lady and Buhle are close friends. Well documentedIt dates back to the Obama administration.
Hunter, who separated from the mother of his three eldest children in 2017, also referenced the friendship in his memoir, saying that he and his ex-wife “worked out at the gym together and often met for early-afternoon cocktails at both formal and informal White House events.”
Buhle, who accused Hunter of wrongdoing, squander one’s family savings on drugs and prostitutionwas said to have relied heavily on Michelle in the aftermath of their messy divorce proceedings.
Sources said at the time that the former first lady was privately telling people she believed Buhl had been treated unfairly by the Biden family after salacious details about her 22-year marriage to Hunter were revealed.
However, a White House spokesman denied the rumors of a rift, saying in a statement that “the Biden and Obama families are like family to each other and are not aware of anyone making such allegations about their relationship.”
Meanwhile, a representative for Mrs Obama said the former first lady supported Mr Biden’s reelection campaign, adding: “She is friends with Katherine and Mr Biden. Both things could be true.”
Still, Michelle has remained largely absent from the campaign trail so far.
She chose not to attend some fundraisers with her husband or appear with him in various videos endorsing Biden.
However, Michelle reposted Biden’s 2024 presidential candidacy on social media.
