Obama says he has been 'digging myself out of' hole with Michelle

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President Barack Obama admitted he has been "digging myself out of a hole" in his relationship with Michelle Obama.

Obama made the comments in London's O2 Arena as part of his European speaking tour on Wednesday, saying his time in the White House eroded his relationship with his wife.

"I was digging myself out of the hole I found myself in with Michelle … Now I'm at about level ground," he said, according to The Standard.

The former president admitted that it had been a "challenge" to repair their relationship, which most recently came under public scrutiny when Michelle did not join him in attending the funeral for former President Jimmy Carter in January. She also skipped President Donald Trump's inauguration barely a week later.

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Former President Barack Obama, left, embraces former first lady Michelle Obama during the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Obama also addressed Trump's latest comments on autism and Tylenol, accusing the president of committing "violence against the truth."

"We have the spectacle of my successor in the Oval Office, making broad claims around certain drugs and autism that have been continuously disproved," Obama said. 

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"The degree to which that undermines public health, the degree to which that can do harm to women who are pregnant, the degree to which that creates anxiety for parents who do have children who are autistic — which, by the way, itself is subject to a spectrum, and a lot of what is being trumpeted as these massive increases actually have to do with a broadening of the criteria across that spectrum so that people can actually get services and help," Obama said. "All of that is violence against the truth."

Obama accused Trump of committing "violence against truth" with his autism claims. ( Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The Trump administration said in April it would kick off a massive research initiative to understand the cause of autism by September, and the president hinted at the announcement Sunday at the memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk. 

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"Tomorrow we’re going to have one of the biggest announcement(s) … medically, I think, in the history of our country. I think you’re going to find it to be amazing," he said at the time.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., left, and President Donald Trump in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. Trump said his administration was linking acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, to autism and urging pregnant women to largely avoid the medication.  (Francis Chung/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Tylenol manufacturer Kenvue has said it strongly disagrees with the administration's assessment and said that "acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women."

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"We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism," a company spokesperson said. "We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers."

Fox News' Diana Stancy contributed to this report.

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to [email protected], or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.