Inside Sasha And Malia Obama's Relationship History
Former First Daughters Malia and Sasha Obama's life in Los Angeles completely contrasts the sheltered years they spent in the White House. In an interview with Gayle King for CBS News, former First Lady Michelle Obama shared that it was a miracle her daughters made friends in their childhood. She recalled how they had to ask for their daughters' friend's personal info for a background check before they could head over to their home for a sleepover.
Even after receiving the all-clear, they had to be accompanied by an armed bodyguard. So, after their father, former President Barack Obama's term ended, they naturally wanted to embrace their freedom and gain all the experiences of an ordinary 20-something. To exercise their independence, Malia and Sasha got an apartment together in Los Angeles, started hitting up parties, and found new love in their lives.
Although the change brought an adjustment period for Michelle and Barack, they always knew their daughters' hearts and heads were in the right place. In a 2014 interview with Steve Harvey, Barack shared that the idea of his two young daughters dating wasn't terrifying because he knew he could count on them to make the right call. He also shared the dating advice he gave to his daughters, "What I've told them before is, as long as that young man is showing you respect and is kind to you, then I'm not going to be hovering over every second" (via Essence). And Barack stayed true to his words with Malia's first public romance.
Malia Obama was in a long-term relationship with Rory Farquharson
In November 2017, TMZ caught Malia Obama locking lips with a man at a Harvard football game, and we later learned that he was her fellow Harvard student, Rory Farquharson. Although the couple kept their relationship under the radar, Daily Mail caught them kissing in Paris and strolling around London during a 2018 European summer vacation. Malia and Farquharson's relationship appeared stronger than ever during the 2020 lockdown because he temporarily moved in with the Obamas.
When Barack Obama spoke on "The Bill Simmons Podcast" in 2020, he explained that Farquharson couldn't travel back to his home country of England because of work visa issues, so the family welcomed him under their roof. The former President also gushed about his daughter's beau, "I didn't want to like him, but he's a good kid." However, quarantining with Farquharson wasn't all sunshine and roses, as he added, "Young men eat. It's weird to watch them consume food. My grocery bill went up about 30%."
While all signs pointed at their relationship going the distance, Malia and Farquharson seem to have called it quits. In 2022, the former First Daughter sparked dating rumors with music producer Dawit Eklund after they were spotted walking around together. Malia and her rumored beau Eklund share a major age gap since he is nearly ten years her senior. It's unclear where their relationship stands in 2024 because Malia was rumored to be dating rapper Animé in September 2023 after paps caught them leaving a sushi restaurant.
Sasha Obama has reportedly been dating Clifton Powell Jr. since 2021
Sasha Obama's first reported beau was Matt Metzler. They first sparked dating rumors in 2017 after being photographed sharing a kiss at the Lollapalooza Music Festival. However, it's unclear if they were a couple because we never saw them together after that kiss. In 2022, Daily Mail shared pics of Sasha walking around town with Clifton Powell Jr., leading to another rumored romance. His father, "Ray" actor Clifton Powell Sr., confirmed their relationship during a 2022 appearance on the "Dear Fathers" podcast and revealed that they had been together for about a year.
He admitted he was glad the media took its time getting to their relationship because it provided him with a buffer to impart his relationship wisdom to his son. After Clifton Sr. explained that he held a lot of love and admiration for the Obama family, he said, "I have an opportunity and a responsibility to make my son responsible, gentle, kind, loving, and supportive. The things that I did not get taught," he continued.
"So, I text him all the time, and I say, 'Treat Sasha like you would want somebody to treat your daughter." Sasha and Clifton Jr.'s paths appear to have crossed at the University of Southern California. Clifton Jr. had previously enrolled in the University of California after gaining a basketball scholarship but dropped out to attend a filmmaking course at USC, where Sasha studied sociology.