Inside Sasha Obama’s Private World

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When Barack Obama became president, his daughter Sasha was just seven years old and moved with her family to live in the White House.

So, now 24 years old, she wants to live as much of her adult life as possible away from public attention.

Okay, seriously, when you get invited to the NBA All-Star Game – in my city, Los Angeles, no less! – and you find out you’re going to be sitting courtside… with the Barack and Michelle Obama as your companions? There was no way I was missing that. It was a dream come true, honestly. I just had to go!

Sasha and her sister, Malia Obama, 27, now live in Los Angeles, but they intentionally keep a very low profile and live private lives.

Having a Secret Service detail follows them everywhere, something Michelle Obama jokingly refers to as “the Obama tax.” She explained on Kelly Ripa’s show last year that while it’s a lifelong responsibility, it also comes with many advantages.

But at least it’s now out of her and Barack’s hands when it comes to how their kids choose to live.

Michelle told Kelly Ripa that her kids were very busy growing up, juggling things like driving, prom, sports with travel, college applications, parties, and even experimenting with things like drinking and smoking – basically, everything teenagers do.

She explained that every weekend was stressful, as they constantly had to work to prevent their children’s normal teenage behavior from becoming tabloid news.

While the Obamas were privately adjusting to life in the White House, it was remarkable for the rest of us to see their children arrive at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in January 2009, replacing the previous residents’ young adult daughters.

When asked about the common advice she gives her children, Michelle Obama told Oprah Winfrey that she always encourages them to forge their own paths and live life on their own terms. She shared this during a stop on Oprah’s 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus tour.

It was natural to expect Sasha and Malia to share some similarities in how they approached life with their parents, even if they didn’t intend to follow the exact same path. This was especially true because they were observant and aware of the world around them.

In the Netflix documentary Becoming, Sasha Obama shared a heartfelt sentiment about her mother, saying she hopes her mom feels proud of her accomplishments. She explained that self-pride is one of the most important things for anyone to achieve, offering a rare glimpse into their life after leaving the White House.

Malia pointed out that once the intense public attention was gone, it freed up a lot of mental energy and allowed her to focus on other things.

And that could easily be said about the whole family.

I remember when President Obama left office in January 2017, Malia was taking a well-deserved gap year before starting at Harvard. And Sasha, who was so young when she moved into the White House – even younger than little John F. Kennedy Jr. was! – still had a couple of years of high school ahead of her. She hadn’t even turned sixteen yet!

After leaving the White House, the Obamas rented a large home—over 8,200 square feet—in the Kalorama neighborhood of Washington, D.C., close to Dupont Circle. That May, they threw a lavish Sweet 16 party for their daughter Sasha. It was an exclusive event, but photos of Sasha wearing a red Jill Jill Stuart dress still circulated online.

It’s easy to say teenagers can’t help but share things on social media. A recent example is a 2020 TikTok video of Sasha and a friend lip-syncing to a remix of Moneybagg Yo’s “Said Sum” featuring City Girls. Though the video was quickly taken down, a tweet from rapper JT helped it spread rapidly around the world.

Generally, those expecting any kind of public misstep from Sasha or Malia Obama have been let down. They were under constant observation for eight years, not only by the Secret Service, but also by the public eye.

Michelle explained to Oprah in February 2020 that looking after her daughters every weekend was challenging. She constantly had to monitor where they were going, ensure there wasn’t alcohol involved, and get to know the other parents – it was a lot to manage.

Sasha sometimes had a more challenging personality than her sister, according to her father. Her mother shared this on an August 2025 episode of the IMO podcast hosted by Michelle and her brother, Craig Robinson.

Michelle described Sasha as being very independent, like a cat. Sasha prefers people come to her for affection rather than the other way around, and doesn’t try to please others.

By the time Malia and Sasha were preparing for college, their education had gone well beyond what they learned at Sidwell Friends school.

During an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2022, Michelle Obama explained how she and Barack approached parenting while living in the White House. She said they weren’t focused on simply raising children, but on nurturing well-rounded individuals prepared to navigate the world.

Michelle explained that because she and Barack knew their time in the White House wouldn’t last forever, they focused on teaching their daughters practical life skills. They wanted them to be able to handle everyday tasks like making beds and driving, but more importantly, to grow into kind, self-sufficient, and responsible adults. She believes this upbringing has made them incredible young women.

Okay, so Sasha finished at Sidwell Friends back in 2019, which was amazing, and then she had this incredible summer – seriously, a family trip to the South of France?! I was so jealous! – before starting at the University of Michigan. I’ve been following her ever since, of course!

In August 2019, after move-in day, Michigan sophomore Jessica Brinser told the Detroit News she was impressed that the student chose to attend UM despite her family’s Ivy League background, believing the university was of comparable quality. Brinser also expressed hope that the new student would feel as welcome and find as much satisfaction at Michigan as the rest of them did, saying, “We all love it here. We hope she does, too.”

Just like they did for Malia at Harvard in 2017, Sasha’s parents helped her move into her dorm, bringing all of her belongings.

And, once again, there were some tears.

In December 2019, Michelle Obama described a particularly emotional moment to Jenna Bush Hager on Today. She recalled driving away with Barack and Malia, and then watching Sasha drive off on her own. “That’s when we all just started crying,” she said.

In 2017, Jenna Bush Hager and her twin sister, Barbara Bush, wrote a letter to Malia and Sasha Obama, offering their congratulations and support as they transitioned into life after being in the White House – what the sisters called joining the “former First Children” club.

The twins offered some advice for college: enjoy it! They said they had a great experience and reminded her that she’d be free from major responsibilities. They encouraged her to pursue her interests, discover herself, and not be afraid to make mistakes. They emphasized the importance of staying close to true friends—those who love and support her fiercely—and ignoring the opinions of those who don’t. Ultimately, she should trust her own feelings and intuition.

Before starting her final year of college, Sasha decided to move to Los Angeles, following her sister Malia who was there pursuing a career in writing and directing. She graduated from the University of Southern California in 2023 with a degree in sociology.

The graduation ceremony was fairly subdued, so many attendees were surprised to see “Natasha Obama” listed in the program for Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. They were even more surprised to realize she was seated near the former president and first lady.

In a 2020 conversation with Oprah, Michelle Obama shared her hopes for Malia and Sasha, saying she wants them to take the time to discover who they are – what they want out of life, not what others expect of them. She emphasized the importance of self-discovery and not letting outside pressures dictate their paths, acknowledging that this is especially challenging for young women.

Another thing that can be hard to do is date, no matter who you are.

Even though their parents have a famously perfect relationship, finding a truly compatible partner isn’t easy for anyone.

Michelle explained in an interview last August that she always encourages people to be open-minded. She also mentioned that she dated many people before meeting Barack, which gave her valuable experiences to help her evaluate him when he came into her life.

Michelle explained that she and her husband, who’s been her partner for 33 years, often discuss their own dating histories. They aim to share these experiences to guide their daughters. Michelle’s advice is simple: date frequently, and don’t hesitate to end things if a relationship isn’t a good fit. If a date or relationship isn’t working, she encourages them to move on without delay.

Malia and Sasha have clearly succeeded by keeping their personal lives private. Consider their transition from growing up in the White House to building adult lives in Los Angeles:

Malia took a year off before starting college, and now she’s thriving at Harvard. Her younger sister, Sasha, is currently studying at the University of Michigan.

The Obama family don their finest ensembles for their final Christmas card in the White House.

In 2016, the sisters arrived in Martha’s Vineyard for a weekend trip and stayed with each of their parents.

At the 2016 state dinner, Malia gave her younger sister a thumbs-up as she got to spend some individual time with Ryan Reynolds.

Upon touching down in Cuba in 2016, the Obama ladies look more than ready for their historic trip. 

Barack Obama’s daughters, who have grown up a lot since he was president, were seen at the annual turkey pardoning event during the Thanksgiving holiday in 2015.

Malia and Sasha join their extremely accomplished mama on a trip to Italy in 2015.

In 2014, while visiting the Great Wall of China, Michelle Obama and her daughters shared a sweet and cozy moment captured in a heartwarming photo.

The teenagers begrudgingly carry on the Turkey Day tradition in 2013.

The two children wore identical purple coats to their father’s second inauguration, following his win in the 2012 presidential election.

Just before giving his acceptance speech in 2012, Barack Obama walked onto the stage with his wife and daughters – the three most important women in his life.

Michelle, Sasha, and Malia Obama started the 2012 holiday season by bringing home their enormous, 19-foot Christmas tree.

The 2012 Democratic National Convention was where the couple and their mother gathered to celebrate Barack Obama’s presidential nomination.

The annual Christmas in Washington event in 2011 was made special by a visit from some of the city’s most famous people.

TNT’s Christmas in Washington event in 2010 brings the family together yet again.

The sisters are all smiles at their first-ever turkey pardoning event at the White House in 2009.

In a 2009 family photo, Malia and Sasha warmly embrace their parents.

As is the tradition in the Obama family, the trio enjoys Christmas 2008 in Hawaii.

The nation was introduced to the Obama girls early on during the 2008 presidential election.

A young Malia shares a bonding moment with her proud pops while on the campaign trail in 2007.

This photo captures a moment from Barack Obama’s 2004 Senate campaign, before he became president.

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2026-02-17 22:18