Barack Obama predicts America will elect its first female president ‘sometime soon’

Published 24 June 2026 · us

Nearly a decade after leaving the White House, former US President Barack Obama says he is confident the United States will eventually elect its first

Nearly a decade after leaving the White House, former US President Barack Obama says he is confident the United States will eventually elect its first female president, describing it as a natural step in the country's continuing progress toward greater representation. Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with PEOPLE magazine alongside former First Lady Michelle Obama ahead of the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, Obama reflected on race, leadership, marriage and the legacy he hopes to leave behind. Obama on America’s first female president Reflecting on the significance of becoming America's first Black president, Obama said one of his goals was to expand young people's sense of what was possible. "I hoped suddenly girls started feeling like, 'Okay, whatever limits people seem to have set, whatever the precedents are, I think I can do something,'" he said. Obama argued that his election helped normalize the idea that people from diverse backgrounds could aspire to the nation's highest office. "There are kids who, growing up under my presidency, said, 'Yeah, of course you can have a Black president. Why not?'" He then expressed confidence that a woman will soon be elected president. "I'm confident that when we get a female president, which we will get sometime soon in my lifetime, it'll become normalized, and that's what we want." Michelle Obama said her husband's impact extended beyond race and politics.

"The symbolism of his presidency wasn't just about race — it was also about the way you show up as a leader, a man, a father and a husband," she said. Michelle Obama: ‘I’m so proud of how my husband showed up’ The interview comes as the Obamas prepare to open the Obama Presidential Center on Chicago's South Side, a project they describe as deeply personal and rooted in the community where their relationship began. Michelle Obama offered a heartfelt tribute to her husband, pushing back against his tendency to downplay his achievements. "My husband is always thinking about reflecting the light on other people," she said. "I am so proud of how my husband showed up in that role, how he shows up every day." Barack Obama, meanwhile, described both his presidency and the new center as collective achievements. "I'm very proud of what we accomplished, what our administration accomplished," he said. "But I do want to make sure that people see all of the people whose shoulders we stand on. This is a group project." A deeply personal Chicago homecoming The new presidential center sits in the Chicago neighborhood where the couple met, married and started their family. Obama recalled arriving in Chicago as a young community organizer with little more than a car full of belongings. "So much of what is precious to me is because of this community," he said.