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Barack and Michelle Obama face mounting challenges as major donors distance themselves and construction delays plague their presidential center project. Reports suggest their marriage may be strained, with the couple not making public appearances together since December, save for a January photo release.
The latest setback involves a $40 million racial discrimination lawsuit filed by a subcontractor, further stalling the presidential center’s construction. This comes as high-profile donors begin withdrawing their support from the $830 million project.
Recent events have fueled speculation about tensions between the former first couple. Michelle Obama’s absence from Jimmy Carter’s funeral, where Barack attended solo citing her “scheduling conflict,” raised eyebrows. Sources claim Michelle was particularly displeased upon learning about Barack’s cordial interaction with Trump during the memorial service.
Barack and Michelle Obama's biggest supporters abandon them amid rumored marriage turmoil https://t.co/Bv9cx6HAQe pic.twitter.com/BfD8ZA9yP8
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) February 5, 2025
Adding to the intrigue, Michelle has reportedly grown weary of Washington DC life. Barack was recently spotted dining alone at an upscale DC restaurant, while Michelle announced she would not attend Trump’s upcoming inauguration.
“We’re told there’s a certain schadenfreude in some circles as the Obamas weren’t seen to be playing the game as they climbed the slippery pole to the White House. ‘He’s arrogant,’ said one donor who ended up giving substantially less than they could,” The Daily Beast reported.
🚨 The Obama Foundation is facing a $40 million lawsuit over alleged discriminatory building standards at the Obama Presidential Center. 🚨
But this case exposes a bigger problem: how anti-white policies in contracting are destroying businesses. Let’s break it down. 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/2MwTBGGEMf
— Painter’s Servant (@PaintServant) February 4, 2025
Another donor told The Daily Beast: “He didn’t help others when they were trying to fundraise and so they’re not going to look out for the Obamas now. There’s no quid pro quo because it’s a one-way street.”
The Daily Beast further revealed: “It was groundbreaking when Barack Obama was hustled into the White House in 2008 on the back of millions of tiny $5 donations, but more than three years after breaking ground on his much-vaunted $830 million presidential center it appears that some donors are balking at making the kind of big-ticket donations the former president might have expected.”
The 225-foot watchtower library and museum project on Chicago’s south side, intended to commemorate America’s first Black president, now risks becoming a financial burden for the Obamas as donors retreat and complications mount.
