November 16, 2025
In a candid discussion about gender, power, and public expectations, the former first lady explained why she has no plans to run.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama says Americans continue to struggle with the idea of a woman leading the nation — and that lingering resistance is exactly why she refuses to consider a presidential run. During a recorded conversation with Tracee Ellis Ross, released Nov. 14 on Obama’s YouTube channel, Obama said the United States has significant “growing up to do” when it comes to accepting women in positions of ultimate political authority.
“As we saw in this past election, sadly, we ain’t ready,” Obama said. “That’s why I’m like, don’t even look at me about running, because you all are lying. You’re not ready for a woman. You are not.
The discussion, held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, coincided with the rollout of Obama’s new book, “The Look.” Ross asked whether the traditional expectations placed on first ladies — and the role’s ties to “wifedom and femininity” — have shaped the public’s willingness to imagine a woman in the Oval Office.
Obama didn’t hesitate. “So don’t waste my time,” she added. “We got a lot of growing up to do, and there are still, sadly, a lot of men who feel like they cannot be led by a woman, and we saw it. I think we still have growing to do in that regard.”
Although Obama has long polled as one of the most admired women in America — and at times more popular than President Barack Obama during his administration — she has consistently rejected calls to run for office. A 2024 poll briefly floated her as the only Democrat capable of defeating Donald Trump, fueling fresh speculation, but Obama dismissed the possibility then and has repeated the same message since.
Her comments also acknowledged the reality facing women who have attempted to break that barrier. Two of the Democratic Party’s last three nominees — Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris — were women, and both ultimately lost presidential elections to Trump. Obama campaigned heavily for Harris in 2024, drawing large crowds and urging voters, especially men, to support women’s leadership and reproductive rights.
Despite persistent public fascination with the idea of an Obama presidential run, she made clear once again that she has no intention of entering the race. The deeper concern, she suggested, is not her personal reluctance but the country’s readiness.
The nation, she argued, still has to prove that it is willing to elect a woman at all.
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