Barack Obama made a court-side appearance at an L.A. Clippers game Wednesday without his wife, Michelle—sparking another round of speculation about trouble in their marriage.
The solo outing comes as the former president is at the center of wild rumors linking him to actress Jennifer Aniston. The chatter about the state of the Obamas’ union reached a fever pitch after Michelle was absent from both President Jimmy Carter’s funeral and Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Right-wing social media in particular fueled speculation that Michelle skipped the events because of rumors of her husband’s alleged affair with the Friends star, with Megyn Kelly dedicating a segment of her talk show to the rumors.
The Obamas, who reside in D.C., tried to silence the gossip on Valentine’s Day with Instagram posts packed with their signature brand of public affection.
Michelle shared a cozy selfie of the two, captioned: “If there’s one person I can always count on, it’s you, @BarackObama. You’re my rock. Always have been. Always will be.”
Barack kept the love fest going, responding with his own post: “Thirty-two years together and you still take my breath away. Happy Valentine’s Day, @MichelleObama!”
Aniston has also addressed the claims, calling them “absolutely untrue,” on Jimmy Kimmel Live, though joking that she was “not mad” at being linked to the former president.
Despite the latest wave of rumors, some aren’t convinced that Obama’s solo outing is reason enough to sound the alarm on their marriage.
“It’s a Clippers game. I’d stay home too,” one user posted, while others noted that Barack, whose love for the sport is well-known, has attended games by himself before.
He was seated between Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and his wife, Connie Snyder, during Wednesday’s game, in which the Clippers beat the Detroit Pistons 123-115.
Barack and Michelle first met in the late 80s at the law firm where they both worked. They were married in 1992, 12 years before he was elected as a U.S. Senator for Illinois, paving the way to the presidency.
