President Obama was noticed arriving alone to a ritzy new Washington restaurant earlier than he attended Trump’s second inauguration with out spouse Michelle.
Obama, 63, was met with cheers and applause from onlookers as he arrived on the DC hotspot Osteria Mozza on Saturday.
Nonetheless, the grinning ex-president appeared un-phased by the absence of his spouse of 32 years who additionally unceremoniously skipped President Carter’s funeral – amid rumors of divorce.
Certainly, Michelle’s no-show from each occasions comes as a wild flurry of hypothesis in Hollywood and DC of a blockbuster affair between the charismatic former commander-in-chief and Mates star Jennifer Aniston.
Aniston, 55, was first romantically linked to Obama final 12 months in a narrative printed in a downmarket grocery store journal – the entrance web page of which declared it contained ‘the reality about Jen & Barack’.
This was compounded by the hosts of a preferred popular culture podcast – Who? Weekly – who claimed, with out giving any proof, that the Obamas have been ‘dwelling separate lives’ whereas he and Aniston have been having a full-blown affair.
The enduring sitcom star appeared on US late-night tv to disclaim the claims, laughing as she declared herself ‘not mad’ on the story.
This comes after stories Michelle skipped Trump’s inauguration as a result of she refuses to ‘be pretend’ about her hatred of Trump – with out mentioning Carter’s funeral, however critics have recommended that her and Barack’s marriage might as an alternative be on the rocks
President Barack Obama was noticed alone at a ritzy new DC restaurant on the evening earlier than President Donald Trump’s second inauguration
Obama appeared very joyful as he attended a cocktail party on the restaurant with a small group of Washington insiders
It comes amid wild rumors of an affair between the ex-President and beloved Mates actress Jennifer Aniston, pictured with Michelle Obama in 2007
Jimmy Kimmel introduced the Hollywood actress with the journal which made allegations about her and the previous President
Footage obtained by MailOnline exhibits Obama arriving Saturday evening at Osteria Mozza, a ‘California-style Italian’ restaurant that opened in November final 12 months.
Obama appeared very joyful as he attended a cocktail party on the restaurant with a small group of Washington insiders, together with President Joe Biden‘s Chief of Employees, Jeff Zients.
One such supply mentioned Obama – who served two phrases within the White Home earlier than handing the Oval Workplace over to Trump – was ‘very good’ however ‘did not take images with folks.’Â
The restaurant, launched by Philadelphia restaurateur Stephen Starr and California chef Nancy Silverton, has shortly turn out to be a smash hit, with A-listers together with Taylor Swift and her NFL star boyfriend Travis Kelce having dined there.
Michelle, 61, has additionally eaten on the swanky restaurant, the place mains value between $34 to $175, earlier than.
She hosted a 10-person vacation dinner for her workforce again in November, simply two weeks after the restaurant opened in Washington DC’s Georgetown neighborhood, in keeping with Web page Six.
A supply had overheard the restaurant’s workers even telling the previous first girl she was the primary particular person to e-book a non-public room, to which she reportedly replied: ‘Properly. let’s christen it.’
He joined a small group of Washington insiders at Osteria Mozza for a non-public engagement
Footage obtained by MailOnline exhibits Obama arriving to the feast Saturday evening at Osteria Mozza, a ‘California-style Italian’ restaurant in Georgetown, DC
However Obama, pictured on the restaurant, confirmed no indicators of stress by the absence of his spouse of 32 years, who refused to attend the inauguration after she skipped President Jimmy Carter’s funeral
In latest weeks, Michelle skipped out on Carter’s memorial service over a reported ‘scheduling battle’ and declined to attend Trump’s inauguration
‘She’s all the time been very deliberate about the place and the way she exhibits up,’ an insider informed Web page Six. ‘She confirmed up reluctantly for the election. They have been united, however she doesn’t should unify round [Trump]. Her absence speaks volumes.’
However Michelle’s absences have nonetheless fueled rumors that she is ‘fed up with the political circus and pretending the whole lot is OK with Barack on a regular basis,’ one insider mentioned.
‘I am informed she was livid at seeing her husband yukking it up with Trump on the Carter funeral’ the supply added.Â
A supply who labored with the couple additionally admitted: ‘They don’t faux that they’ve this Camelot relationship. They’re not attempting to current that they’re this magical couple.’
Obama tried to quell these rumors by posting a gushing tribute to his spouse, who he described because the ‘love of his life‘.Â
Nonetheless, some suspect the publish might have been an try to put out any rumour that the connection is in a rocky state.Â
Barack Obama tried to dispel rumors the couple’s relationship was on the rocks with a gushing tribute to his spouse for her birthday
Michelle skipped President Jimmy Carter’s funeral on January 9. One of the vital talked about moments from the memorial was a transparent second of affection between Trump and Obama
The Obamas have confronted affair rumors since they first entered the highlight within the early 2000s – with scrutiny of their marriage following them all through the previous president’s two phrases in workplace and past.
In 2013, the Nationwide Enquirer wrongly speculated that their then-more than 20-year marriage had been dissolved after a string of fights that have been prompted by accusations of infidelity and a beaming selfie President Obama took with the Danish Prime Minister.
Photos of Barack taking the selfie with Helle Thorning-Schmidt – as Michelle appears to be like on, lower than impressed – took the web by storm, with claims that the Obamas even switched seats to separate the 2 world leaders.Â
Late final 12 months, he was romantically linked to actress Jennifer Aniston in a baseless story printed in a gossip journal – the entrance web page of which declared it contained ‘the reality about Jen & Barack’.Â
This was compounded by the hosts of a preferred popular culture podcast – Who? Weekly – who claimed, with out proof, that the couple have been ‘dwelling separate lives’ whereas he and Aniston have been having a full-blown affair.Â
The Hollywood A-lister strongly denied the claims throughout an look on Jimmy Kimmel Dwell! in October.
Photos of Barack taking the selfie with Helle Thorning-Schmidt – as Michelle appears to be like on, lower than impressed – took the web by storm in 2013
‘Of all of the calls you get out of your publicist the place you are similar to ‘Oh, no, what’s it gonna be?’ otherwise you get an e mail saying some tacky tabloid is gonna make up a narrative – after which it is that…’
‘I used to be not mad at it,’ she then added with a giggle, earlier than clarifying that the story is ‘completely unfaithful’.
‘So, the reality about Jen and Barack is that there isn’t any fact?’ Kimmel confirmed.
Aniston continued: ‘I’ve met him [Obama] as soon as. I do know Michelle greater than him.’
In a jokey tone, the host then requested: ‘Is there a fact about you and Michelle?’Â
‘That’s not true,’ she mentioned with a smile.
In 2007, a star-studded Hollywood gala in honor of the then-budding younger senator is assumed to have been the primary – and solely time – Aniston met Barack Obama.
Photos taken on the occasion present her smiling together with her arm round Michelle’s waist, as the longer term First Girl beams for the digital camera and Morgan Freeman and different A-listers benefit from the celebration behind them.
A VIP group of attendees – those that had no less than 20 tickets to their title – have been invited to privately dine with the Obamas after the occasion. It’s unclear if Aniston was amongst them.
The previous president and his spouse tied the knot on the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago on October 3, 1992
After they first had youngsters, the couple had some fights, as Barack would commute on a six-hour spherical journey to work on the Illinois Senate, and generally spend days away as a consequence of his job
The Obamas have beforehand spoken candidly about their martial struggles, with Michelle beforehand describing the ‘resentment’ she had over having to place her profession on maintain to be a mom whereas Barack’s continued to flourish.
Tensions solely grew throughout their time within the White Home – due to the immense ‘stress’ that got here with ‘needing to get the whole lot proper and be “on” at each second,’ in addition to Barack’s deal with his work fairly than his household.
However even at their worst, Obama defined to The Breakfast Membership that they by no means let their arguments flip too ugly – and that they all the time ‘revered’ each other.Â
And he made it clear that even once they would battle, he by no means thought of a divorce.
‘We have been fairly good even when issues have been powerful, we by no means loss fundamental respect for the opposite particular person,’ he shared. ‘We by no means thought that particular person was a foul particular person. We by no means mentioned issues that may make it appear that you simply fully disrespect me.
‘It was extra, “I like you, Barack, however that is driving me loopy,” or, “I respect you, however…” I believe that is what stored us ‘trigger we by no means doubted one another’s intentions.
‘Michelle is a outstanding girl. Even when she drives me loopy generally, I by no means thought that there was anyone who I’d fairly be with.’
