Inside Malia Obama’s ”Normal” Life After the White House

Which is why she’s celebrating her 25th birthday July 4 with nary a scandal or even an errant quote or misstep to her name.

“To see them grow up to be incredible women, independent women,” said fellow erstwhile first daughter Jenna of Malia and Sasha, “I mean, I think we knew they would be.”

From when they first moved into the White House, “we saw those bright lights even then,” the TODAY host told E! News in November. “But to think about how much their lives—and mine—have changed in 14 years, makes me so proud, slightly emotional. I can’t believe it’s been 14 years.”

Their mom highlighted a particularly noticeable change, telling Ellen DeGeneres in April 2022 that both of her daughters had boyfriends—but, as tends to be the case, that was a bit of a misnomer.

Ellen recalled that she first met Malia and Sasha when their mom brought them to her show to watch the Jonas Brothers perform before the 2008 election, Michelle quipped, “Now they’re bringing grown men home. Before it was just a pop band. Now, they have boyfriends and real lives.”

And thanks to Malia’s discrete ways, her real life is all her own.