Obama Reflects on Fatherhood and the Challenges of Raising Daughters

Former President Obama discusses fatherhood, his relationship with his daughters, and the complexities of raising sons in a new podcast interview.

Editorial Desk

September 24, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — Former President Barack Obama opened up about the emotional complexities of fatherhood during a recent conversation with actor Tom Hanks on his new podcast, A Great Book with Barack Obama.

The discussion centered around the 2004 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, which explores themes of family, love, and the challenges of understanding one another. Obama reflected on a passage that described how people can deeply love each other while still remaining fundamentally unknowable.

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I don’t have sons, Obama said, noting that he has two daughters, Malia, 28, and Sasha, 25, with his wife Michelle. He suggested that raising a son might have been more difficult for him, citing the lack of a strong paternal figure in his own life and the unique dynamics of his relationships with his daughters.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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