Former First Lady Michelle Obama has declared that the United States is not ready for a woman president, citing the results of the 2024 election as evidence of persistent gender bias in American politics. Her comments came during a conversation with actor Tracee Ellis Ross at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City, where she was promoting her new book.
The 61-year-old Obama made her remarks during a conversation reportedly recorded on November 5, 2025, which was later published to her YouTube channel. The event was organized for her podcast and centered on promoting her latest work, “The Look,” a book about her approach to fashion and politics that she co-authored with her stylist.
When Ross asked whether Obama’s role as first lady had affected the room made for a woman to be president, Obama was direct in her response. “As we saw in this past election, sadly, we ain’t ready,” she 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.”
Obama’s comments came in the wake of President Donald Trump‘s victory over former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. The former first lady, who served alongside her husband Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017, had campaigned extensively for Harris during the election cycle, drawing large crowds to campaign events and advocating for women’s health care issues.
The conversation revealed Obama’s belief that many men in America remain uncomfortable with the idea of female leadership at the highest level. “You know, we got a lot of growing up to do, and there’s still, sadly, a lot of men who do not feel like they can be led by a woman, and we saw it,” she said. Obama emphasized that this resistance was clearly demonstrated in the recent election results.
Obama has repeatedly ruled out running for president herself, despite persistent speculation and calls from supporters. Her latest comments definitively shut down any remaining questions about her political ambitions. The former first lady has consistently maintained that she has no desire to seek the Oval Office, even though polling has shown significant support for a potential candidacy.
The 2024 election results highlighted significant gender dynamics in American voting patterns. Trump won 55 percent of male voters in 2024, and secured a majority of men under 50, representing a shift from 2020 when President Joe Biden had won that demographic. These voting patterns underscore the challenges that female candidates face in presidential elections.
Harris’ loss marked the second time in recent history that a female Democratic nominee has been defeated by Trump. Hillary Clinton also lost to Trump in a previous election, making two of the last three Democratic nominees for president women who ultimately failed to win the White House. This pattern suggests ongoing obstacles for women seeking the nation’s highest office.
Despite these electoral setbacks, Obama herself enjoyed remarkable popularity during her time as first lady. She was often more popular than her husband during his presidency, and a 2024 poll showed that only Obama could beat Trump among potential Democratic candidates. This popularity has fueled ongoing speculation about a potential run, which she has now firmly rejected once again.
The book that Obama was promoting explores her experiences with fashion and politics during her eight years in the White House. “The Look” features insights into how she navigated the unique pressures and expectations placed on first ladies, a role that carries significant symbolic weight but no official elected authority. The position of first spouse is not elected and comes with ceremonial duties rather than policy-making power.
Obama’s frank assessment of America’s readiness for female leadership reflects broader conversations about gender and politics in the United States. While women have made significant strides in political representation at various levels of government, the presidency remains an office that has never been held by a woman in the nation’s history. This stands in contrast to many other democratic nations around the world that have elected female heads of state.
The former first lady’s comments also touched on the specific challenges related to the archetype of the first lady role, which Ross described as representing “wifedom and femininity.” This traditional framing of the position may contribute to the difficulties women face in being seen as viable presidential candidates, as it reinforces conventional gender roles rather than leadership qualities typically associated with the presidency.
Obama’s willingness to speak candidly about these issues demonstrates her continued influence in American political discourse, even as she maintains her distance from seeking elected office herself. Her observations carry weight given her unique perspective as someone who spent eight years in the White House and actively participated in multiple presidential campaigns.
The conversation between Obama and Ross provided insight into the ongoing challenges facing women in American politics and the work that remains to be done to achieve gender equality in the nation’s highest offices. Obama’s message was clear: until American voters, particularly male voters, demonstrate they are willing to elect a woman president, she will not waste her time on a campaign that she believes the country is not ready to support.
