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BY MANUELLA LIBARDIUPDATED: AUG. 11, 2024 11:12 AM EST
In April 2022, it was rumored that Sasha Obama had a new boyfriend. The Daily Mail reported that Michelle and Barack Obama’s youngest daughter was dating Clifton Powell Jr., son of actor Clifton Powell. Two months later, the “Ray” actor not only confirmed the relationship but also expressed his admiration for the Obamas. He revealed the advice he gave his son on how to treat Sasha. However, whether Powell Jr. followed his father’s advice remains unclear, as he and Sasha have kept their relationship relatively private.
The current status of their relationship is uncertain. In November 2022, sources told Media Take Out that Sasha and the former college basketball player had ended things. “It wasn’t anything big. Sasha is focusing on herself, her studies, and her career,” an insider explained. According to the Daily Mail, the couple met after Sasha moved to California in the summer of 2021 and reportedly ended things on good terms, remaining friends.
News about the couple faded in 2023, suggesting they might have parted ways. Unlike her sister Malia, whose dating history has been somewhat more public, Sasha hasn’t been linked to anyone else since. Despite what might have happened, Powell’s comments indicate that Sasha and Powell Jr.’s relationship was based on mutual respect.
Clifton Powell Wanted His Son to Do Right by Michelle and Barack Obama
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Clifton Powell was keen to ensure that Michelle and Barack Obama had no concerns about his son’s behavior. When he learned of his son’s relationship with Sasha, he took on a guiding role, clarifying on the “Dear Fathers” podcast in June 2022 that they had been dating since early 2021. “It has helped me talk to [him] about how to handle Sasha Obama because we love the Obamas,” Powell shared.
Beyond his respect for the former President and First Lady, Powell saw this as a chance to impart important relationship lessons to his son. “Mr. Obama has a daughter that’s dating my son, and I have a responsibility to make my son responsible, gentle, kind, loving, and supportive,” Powell said, drawing from his own life experiences. “The things that I did not get taught,” he added.
One key piece of advice Powell gave his son was straightforward yet impactful. “I text him all the time and I say, ‘Treat Sasha like you would want somebody to treat your daughter,'” he noted. Although Powell Jr.’s dating history is hard to track, Sasha seems to hold no ill feelings toward her ex, suggesting Powell Jr. may have taken his father’s advice to heart.
Michelle Obama Adjusts to Her Daughters’ Dating Lives
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Michelle Obama went from raising young girls to navigating the lives of two adult daughters. Despite any nostalgia, she’s enjoyed witnessing Malia and Sasha’s growth, though adjusting to their dating lives has sometimes been challenging. “Before, it was just pop bands. Now they have boyfriends and real lives,” Michelle said on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in April 2022, just days before Sasha’s relationship with Powell Jr. was reported.
Michelle hinted that Powell Jr. was a familiar presence in their family, suggesting a serious relationship. “They loved the Jonas Brothers. Now they’re bringing grown men home,” she joked. Despite the adjustment, Michelle is proud of her daughters’ growth. “I think it’s wonderful,” she said on “Good Morning America” in November 2022, around the time breakup rumors about Sasha and Powell Jr. surfaced. “I want them to know what they want and who they are in a relationship. And that takes trying on some people.”
Aside from adjusting to their dating lives, Michelle has cherished spending time with her daughters as adults. Sasha and Malia live together in Los Angeles, sometimes hosting their parents and showing off their hosting skills—or the lack thereof. “[They] tried to make two very weak martinis,” she said, laughing. “They realized they didn’t have any of the ingredients.”
