Here's Looking at 5 'Shady' Things Michelle Obama Has Done

Michelle Obama doesn't necessarily always object to acting a little... shadily

Michelle Obama stays away from theatrical wrath and fiery words, preferring to stick to well-crafted jabs and subtle snarks, especially when it comes to controversial figures like Donald Trump. While many found the 2017 Presidential Inauguration to be a difficult day, Michelle's shady responses helped everyone get through it. The former First Lady also caused a stir in the media when she seemed to give the newly elected leader the cold shoulder and when she looked agonizedly into the camera after accepting a gift from Melania Trump. She defended herself by claiming she was flooded with emotion and didn't want anybody to interpret her sentiments as hostile or intended for the president or the First Lady. However, this was not the only time she acted a little shady.

1. Michelle's subtly disguised jabs at Trump

In July 2019, the former First Lady of the United States directed some very subtle jabs at Trump. This was when Trump attacked Democratic Representative Elijah Cummings, calling his area in Baltimore a 'disgusting, rat and rodent-infested mess.' But the ex-FLOTUS shared on Twitter at the time, "On #NationalDanceDay, I'm shouting out the Lethal Ladies, a Baltimore STEP team who I saw perform back in 2017. I’m so proud of you all—and everyone who’s dancing today!" Her message was written on Saturday, sometime after the president called Cummings a 'brutal bully' and his area, the 7th Congressional area of Maryland, leading many to believe it was a clandestine dig at the then-President. 

2. When Meghan Markle was subjected to some royal shade

NBC's Jenna Bush Hager once asked Obama (when she was promoting her children's Netflix comedy Waffles & Mochi) about her opinions on the sagas that came out in the wake of the famous 2021 interview given by the royals of the UK: "You watched Meghan Markle speak out, what went through your mind?" Obama replied, "Public service—it's a bright, sharp, hot spotlight, and most people don't understand it, nor should they. The thing that I always keep in mind is that none of this is about us in public service; it's about the people that we serve." Obama remarked that nothing is 'more important than family' and that she hoped for 'love and resolve at some point in time.'

3. Michelle once disapproved of the much-praised presidential picture of Barack Obama

The ex-First Family stocked the White House with contemporary art, including pieces by Black and Native American artists, when Barack Obama was President. Surprisingly, however, Michelle first disapproved of the much-praised presidential painting of Barack at the National Gallery. Kehinde Wiley revealed during an interview with Swizz Beatz at Miami's Creative Mind Talks in January 2020, "I got a call, and [Barack] said, 'The first version that you made, I love it. But Michelle doesn't." Eventually, however, her opinion changed. Nonetheless, The Guardian revealed that among other well-known figures, Wiley painted Michael Jackson and Ice-T. By painting a US president, Wiley became the first Black artist to get that level of recognition. He is also known for his frank and realistic portrayals of Black people in his paintings, which are influenced by the Old Masters.

4. Michelle gave Trump a hard time for management of the pandemic

Jonathan Swan once questioned the former President over his administration's response to the outbreak during an Axios for HBO interview. The former President reaffirmed his opposition to issuing a national mask mandate, claiming that COVID-19 was 'under control' in the United States and that it was not essential. When Swan stated, "A thousand Americans are dying every day," Trump responded with a seemingly nonchalant, "They're dying, it's true... It is what it is." However, Michelle did not agree and said, "[Trump] can not be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is." She further spoke about the #BLM movement and said, "As George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and a never-ending list of innocent people of color continue to be murdered, stating the simple fact that a Black life matters is still met with derision from the nation's highest office."

5. Michelle dissed Donald for shredding the rulebook

According to presidential custom, the outgoing President must make a trip back to the White House for the formal unveiling ceremony held during the administration of his successor. But the Obamas were forced to wait until Joe Biden took office because Trump supposedly tore up the rule book. When Michelle appeared on The Tonight Show in April 2023, she addressed the incident without directly naming the businessman-turned-politician. She said, "You do your official portraits; the next president is supposed to invite you back to hang them. We were never invited back, so these pictures have been done for a long, long time. It's good to see everybody."