Camilla Jessen
Michelle Obama weighs in on term limits and future leadership.
Michelle Obama has weighed in on whether her husband would ever return to the Oval Office.
The former first lady addressed the issue during an appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast with host Alex Cooper. The discussion focused on a theoretical scenario in which term limits are altered.
“The future is whatever we want it to be, so if… this is all hypothetical… if Trump does change the law and runs for a third term, hypothetically… do you think your husband would consider running?” Cooper asked.
“I hope not. I would actively work against that,” Obama replied.
Eight years enough
Michelle Obama said she believes the presidency demands constant renewal and should not be held by the same person for too long.
“We’re changing and growing so fast. This is a hard job, and it requires new energy, new vision all the time,” she said. “So I do believe that eight years is enough.”
She argued that leadership benefits from fresh perspectives shaped by different life experiences and global exposure.
Obama pointed to younger generations as better positioned to address modern challenges.
“People with a new set of experiences, a new set of, a new take on the world,” she said. “This new generation is coming up. They travel more, they know more about the world, they’re exposed in a different way.”
She added that progress does not require former leaders to return. “Like, we don’t have all the answers and that’s okay. That’s why we move on.”
Term limits debate
Barack Obama served two terms as president from 2009 to 2017, overseeing recovery from the Great Recession, the end of the Iraq War and the killing of Osama bin Laden during Operation Neptune Spear.
The 22nd Amendment currently bars presidents from serving more than two terms.
President Donald Trump, who returned to office in 2024 after a gap following Joe Biden’s presidency, has previously hinted at challenging the rule, telling media last October “we’ll see what happens.”
Trump has also promoted the idea publicly, including merchandise branded with “Trump 2028.”
A recent poll examining a hypothetical 2028 matchup between Trump and Obama showed the former president winning with 52 percent support.
Sources: Call Her Daddy podcast
