Former First Lady Michelle Obama has privately expressed frustration over how the Biden family distanced her close friend Kathleen Buhle following Buhle’s tumultuous divorce from Hunter Biden, according to sources familiar with their relationship as reported by Axios.
This tension Michelle Obama’s aversion to partisan politics, which has contributed to her minimal involvement in campaigning for President Biden’s re-election, despite her husband, former President Obama, being an active surrogate. Sources indicate that Michelle Obama was initially hesitant to campaign for Biden after he became the Democratic nominee in 2020.
While Biden’s team emphasizes a strong relationship between the families, dating back to changes in 2015 when Joe Biden was considering a presidential run amid personal tragedies, including the death of his son Beau and Hunter Biden’s subsequent divorce from Buhle.
Barack Obama has participated in fundraisers and endorsed Biden through various means, often appearing solo, without Michelle, who has refrained from posting about Biden’s re-election on social media. Instead, she has focused on non-partisan initiatives like When We All Vote.
In 2017, Barack Obama attended a fundraiser for the Beau Biden Foundation in Delaware without Michelle, reflecting some of the family dynamics that have been privately described as complex. Michelle Obama has supported Buhle privately, feeling that Buhle was unfairly treated amidst Hunter Biden’s personal challenges, including substance abuse.
Michelle Obama’s absence from the campaign trail in 2024 reflects not only her relationship with Buhle but also her enduring distaste for partisan politics, a sentiment she instilled in her daughters early on. Despite these complexities, there have been moments of warmth between the Obama and Biden families, such as Jill Biden’s recent attendance at a memorial service for Michelle’s mother.
