Michelle Obama breaks silence on reported rift with Biden family: ‘Two things can be true’

Michelle Obama has reacted to the report of becoming frustrated over her friend Kathleen Buhle's divorce from Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden.

Published on: Jun 28, 2024, 06:07:12 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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Amid reports of rift between Obama and Biden family, Michelle Obama, the former First Lady, has reacted to the report of becoming frustrated over her friend Kathleen Buhle's divorce from Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden.

Michelle Obama's spokesman Crystal Carson told Axios that the former First Lady is friends with Kathleen and with the Bidens. (AP)

The report published by Axios, citing anonymous sources with knowledge of the situation, provides details on how Michelle Obama has been missing from Biden's reelection campaign and she has expressed her displeasure over the divorce.

In his 2021 memoir, Beautiful Things, Hunter Biden mentioned about Michelle Obama and Buhle's bond, stating that the two “worked out together at the gym and often had evening cocktails at the White House, at both formal and informal events.”

Michelle Obama's spokesman, White House react to rift report

In response to the reports, Michelle Obama's spokesman Crystal Carson told Axios that the former First Lady is friends with Kathleen and with the Bidens. “Two things can be true.”

According to Carson, Michelle Obama completely supports Biden's reelection campaign, when he is anticipated to run against former President Donald Trump.

The spokesperson also highlighted that Jill Biden recently visited a memorial service for Michelle Obama's mother.

Meanwhile, a White House spokesperson also rejected the reports of any rift between Obama and Biden family. “The Biden and Obama families are like family to one other, and whomever made these claims about that relationship isn't familiar with it,” Andrew Bates stated.

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Kathleen Buhle and Hunter Biden

Buhle, who testified in Hunter Biden's federal gun trial in which a Delaware jury found him guilty, married the president's son in 1993. The couple share three children -- Finnegan, 23, Maisy, 23, and Naomi, 30, and they filed for divorce in 2016.

In her memoir If We Break, published in 2022, Buhle asserted that Hunter Biden's drug abuse and infidelity caused their marriage to fail. In 2019, she filed a lawsuit against him, alleging that he had neglected to pay her past due bills, interest, and alimony since the end of their relationship.

Last month, Hunter Biden was convicted of three felonies related to firearms after prosecutors claimed he had lied to them about using drugs at the time he bought a pistol in 2018.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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