Michelle Obama Says She Tries to Avoid White-Owned Brands

Former first lady Michelle Obama is again drawing criticism after remarks resurfaced in which she openly suggested avoiding white-owned businesses when shopping for clothing—a statement that has reignited accusations of racial bias and double standards on the left.

In a video that has since gone viral, Obama described deliberately choosing designers based on race, saying she prioritizes patronizing fashion brands owned by people of color. The discussion panel featured only black women, many of whom nodded and smiled approvingly as she spoke.

“If I hear of someone whose fashion I like, and I hear they’re a person of color, I try to make it a point” to patronize them, she said.

“You know, I think we can all do some work to think about that balance in our wardrobes. What does our closet look like, and who’s in it?

“Who are we supporting in it?” she added. “I think if you have the money to buy Chanel, then you have the money to buy everybody.”

The comments have sparked backlash online, with critics noting that such remarks would trigger widespread outrage if made by a Republican figure. Many pointed out that if First Lady Melania Trump had suggested favoring white-owned companies over minority-owned ones, the media response would have been swift and unforgiving.

The controversy comes as President Donald J. Trump—now serving his second term—continues to highlight what he has described as hypocrisy and corruption among political elites.

In December, President Trump reposted a video from InfoWars host Alex Jones, who alleged that “Michelle Obama may have used Biden’s autopen in the final days of his disastrous administration to pardon key individuals.”

The claim, which has not been substantiated by publicly available evidence, suggested that Michelle Obama may have played a role in President Biden’s final clemency decisions. Those controversial pardons included recipients such as retired Gen. Mark Milley and Dr. Anthony Fauci, both vocal critics of President Trump.

President Trump has repeatedly accused Biden of relying on the autopen—a mechanical device used to sign documents—to push through late-term orders and pardons without proper oversight. He recently issued an executive action declaring that any autopen orders not supported by proof Biden was aware of them would be considered “null and void.”

Beyond the autopen controversy, the president’s social media activity this week reflected his broader political messaging.

He criticized Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), calling him “unpatriotic” for appearing in a video informing service members that they could refuse unlawful orders.

“Mark Kelly and the group of Unpatriotic Politicians were WRONG to do what they did, and they know it!” Trump wrote.

Additional posts targeted a familiar roster of political adversaries, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former President Barack Obama, James Comey, and former Attorney General Eric Holder.

President Trump also amplified supportive content highlighting his administration’s agenda. One video featured Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) praising the president’s leadership, accompanied by a caption calling Trump “the greatest president to ever live.” Another seasonal post declared, “Christmas is officially great again,” alongside a still from Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, the 1992 film in which Trump made a brief cameo.

Later posts accused former Biden Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and Hunter Biden of being the “SECRET PARDON PUPPET MASTERS” behind the outgoing administration’s clemency wave. Trump also accused Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) of “crimes against the country,” described Democratic veterans critical of his military orders as “a threat to America,” and reshared a post referring to Ilhan Omar as “a terrorist from a terrorist family.”

One of the more provocative shares involved an apparently AI-generated video depicting Elon Musk commenting on the administration’s pledge to revoke temporary legal protections for Somali migrants living in Minnesota.

That post coincided with a Treasury Department investigation into reports that nonprofit organizations in Minnesota may have diverted taxpayer funds to terrorist networks overseas.

By Tuesday morning, the president’s late-night posting spree was still reverberating across political media, with supporters applauding his unapologetic approach and critics accusing him of amplifying so-called “conspiracy theories.”