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Out of all the wild rumours about Barack Obama floating around over the years, none have been quite as weird or persistent as the one that links him to Friends star Jennifer Aniston. Yep, that Jennifer Aniston. And honestly, no one really knows how this bizarre gossip train even left the station.
The strange origin of this rumour dates back to 2014, when The Economist decided to have a little fun and published a satirical piece, basically a made-up joke, pretending that Obama was sneaking around with Aniston behind Michelle Obama’s back. It was meant to be totally fictional and humorous, not taken seriously at all. The article even went as far as to describe Obama allegedly slipping out of Jen’s apartment early in the morning, riding away on a scooter with his helmet visor pulled down. Again, pure fiction, just for laughs.
Fast forward ten years to 2024, and this joke somehow made a comeback, thanks to the popular gossip podcast Who? Weekly. On one episode, host Lindsey Weber dropped a totally unverified bombshell by saying, “The goss is… Michelle and Barack are living separate lives, and Barack is f**ing Jennifer Aniston.”* It was clearly meant to be outrageous and cheeky, but once the gossip train gets rolling, there’s no slowing it down.
Soon enough, InTouch Weekly took the quote and ran with it in their August 2024 issue, splashing the headline “Barack & Jen: What’s Going On?” across their pages. Things snowballed from there, with fans and gossip mongers buzzing about possible marriage troubles between Barack and Michelle.
But let’s be real, sources close to Jennifer Aniston were quick to shut it all down. According to a friend of hers who spoke to The New York Post, there’s no romance going on. In fact, Aniston has apparently been closer to Michelle over the years and only recently developed a friendly connection with Barack. No affair, no secret rendezvous, no scooters involved.
Still, the rumour has taken on a life of its own, as these kinds of stories tend to do, especially when they involve celebrities, former presidents, and unexpected pairings. Neither Barack nor Jen has spoken directly about it, probably because the whole thing is so outlandish it doesn’t even deserve a comment.
But if you’re wondering whether Barack Obama and Jennifer Aniston are sneaking around behind Michelle’s back, the short answer is: nope. It’s just one of those weird, made-up Hollywood rumours that refuses to die, no matter how silly it is.
Jennifer Aniston has denied having any romantic affairs with Barack Obama
While Barack Obama has stayed totally silent about those wild rumours linking him to Jennifer Aniston, the Friends star finally broke her silence, and her reaction was more amused than anything else.
During a fun appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live to promote her show The Morning Show, Kimmel surprised Aniston by pulling out a copy of InTouch Weekly. The magazine cover boldly splashed her and Obama together, stirring up those strange affair rumours again. Jen’s response? A good-natured laugh. “Oh!” she exclaimed, clearly caught off guard. After a brief pause, she smiled and added, “That’s kind of…” before trailing off, letting the absurdity speak for itself.
She then explained that when her publicist warns her about some gossip story popping up, she usually braces for something outrageous. But when that rumour came up, she actually found it kind of funny. “I was not mad at it,” she joked, brushing the drama off like a pro.
Of course, Kimmel had to ask the million-dollar question: Is there any truth to it? Jen shut that down right away. She said she’s only met Barack once and is actually closer to Michelle Obama. “I know Michelle more than him,” Aniston said, putting the speculation to rest, at least from her side.
But despite her calm dismissal, the rumour mill didn’t stop churning. In early 2025, things flared up again after someone online claimed to have seen a leaked DM from one of Aniston’s so-called inner circle friends. The message claimed that Barack was with Jen and that “Jennifer herself admitted it,” adding fuel to the already bizarre fire. The person even claimed their old manager had insider access. But just like most internet gossip, nothing concrete ever backed it up.
Meanwhile, Barack seemed unfazed by the noise. In fact, on Valentine’s Day, he made it crystal clear where his heart really is. He posted a heartfelt message to Michelle on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Thirty-two years together and you still take my breath away. Happy Valentine’s Day @MichelleObama.” He even added a cute photo of the two of them together, doubling down on the love and loyalty.
So at the end of the day, this rumour seems like exactly what it started as, just a silly story that spiralled out of control. Jen laughed it off, Barack ignored it, and Michelle got the ultimate Valentine’s Day tribute. Case closed unless another tabloid decides to throw them on the cover again.