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Michelle Obama's unexpected three-word dating advice for daughters Sasha and Malia


Michelle and Barack Obama share two daughters, Sasha and Malia, who have largely kept their romantic relationships out of the spotlight


Michelle Obama pointing and talking© AFP via Getty Images
Maria Sarabi
Maria SarabiJunior Writer
August 20, 2025
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As a mother of two daughters, Michelle Obama is no stranger to the complexities of modern dating – and she recently shared the advice she gives them when it comes to finding love.

Michelle addressed the topic of dating a recent episode of her IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson podcast. "I just try to get them to stay open to people," she explained.

Malia, Michele, Sasha and Barack Obama pose for a family photo on vacation, shared on Instagram© Instagram
Malia, Michele, Sasha and Barack Obama pose for a family photo on vacation, shared on Instagram

"The thing that I did do was date a lot. And so when Barack showed up, I had experiences to compare him against. I knew a lot of [how] I didn’t like this. I didn’t like that."

Through her dating history, Michelle was able to find out what qualities she valued and wanted in a partner. "We try to sort of educate the girls by sharing our experiences," she said. "So my whole thing is date. Date a lot, and if you run into a bad date or have a bad experience, move on quickly."

michelle obama and malia with their hands on their chests© AFP via Getty Images
Michelle Obama and her daughter Malia

Sasha and Malia's relationships

Michelle shares two daughters, Malia, 27, and Sasha, 24, with her husband, Barack Obama. The former first daughters have often kept their personal relationships private. Malia previously dated Rory Farquharson, and was seen with Dawit Eklund, rapper Aminé, and photographer Achilleas Ambatzidis.

In this handout provided by the White House, (L - R) First Lady Michelle Obama, Malia Obama, U.S. President Barack Obama and Sasha Obama, sit for a family portrait in the Oval Office on December 11, 2011 in Washington, D.C© Getty Images
The family of four in 2011

Meanwhile, Sasha was romantically linked to director Clifton Powell Jr. in the past. Michelle has previously revealed in interviews that her daughters "have boyfriends and real lives".

Michelle and Barack's love story

Barack and Michelle first met in June 1989, when the former joined the law firm Sidley Austin. Michelle, then Michelle Robinson, was his senior advisor for his first three months, and declined his initial offers to date.

Michelle quickly fell for who would be her future husband after their first phone call. "The voice was sexier than the image that I had about him," she recalled on the podcast. "I was sort of like, 'Ooh. I didn’t expect this.'"

Michelle Barack Obama© Instagram
Michelle and Barack Obama

In July 1991, nearly two years later, Barack proposed after passing the bar exam. On October 3, 1992, they tied the knot in front of loved ones at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

However, the couple have been open about the struggled within their marriage. In his memoir A Promised Land, Barack penned: "Despite Michelle's success and popularity, I continued to sense an undercurrent of tension in her, subtle but constant, like the faint thrum of a hidden machine."

"Lying next to Michelle in the dark, I'd think about those days when everything between us felt lighter, when her smile was more constant and our love less encumbered, and my heart would suddenly tighten at the thought that those days might not return," he added.

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