The Painfully Sweet Obama Moment You Probably Missed from the Inauguration

Barack and Michelle are toooo cuuuuute 😭 😭 😭 .

Diana Bruk's avatar
By
Published In News
Cap, Coat, Outerwear, Collar, Dress shirt, Uniform, Suit, Blazer, Peaked cap, Tie,
(Image credit: archive)

After the swearing-in of President Donald Trump earlier today, Barack and Michelle Obama made their final departure from the White House.

They stood on the rain-soaked steps of the U.S. Capitol, Barack in a crisp suit with a blue tie and Michelle in a simple red belted dress and matching coat, waiting for Mission One to take them away to Palm Springs, California. They stood looking out at the people, next to President and First Lady Trump in powder blue. And then Barack made one small, simple gesture that melted the hearts of anyone who saw it.

That hand squeeze was not an empty gesture. It was not a political move. It was not for the crowds, or for the press, or for the TV stations. It was Barack saying, "We did this together. Now let's go home."

Latest Videos FromMarie Claire

Aircraft, Aviation, Air travel, Aerospace engineering, Service, Employment, Job, Uniform, Aerospace manufacturer, Airplane,

(Image credit: archive)

Follow Marie Claire on Facebook for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.

Diana Bruk
Diana Bruk
Viral Content Editor

My writing has regularly appeared in The New York Times, The Paris Review, Salon, VICE, Guernica, The New York Observer, BuzzFeed, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Esquire, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and many more publications.

I was previously the Senior News Editor at Best Life Online and the Viral Content Editor in the Newsroom of Hearst Digital Media. My portfolio consists of a vast and diverse body of work that includes personal essays, lifestyle articles, breaking news posts, and viral content. My areas of expertise, however, are Russia, sex and relationships, and mental wellness.