Michelle Obama has spoken out about why her daughter Malia has changed her name, as well as her opinions on the entire situation.

Access to the Obamas’ lives had been relatively limited, but that has all changed after Barack, Michelle, and their children departed the White House in 2017.

Michelle has especially spoken about life before, during, and after the family’s time in Washington, DC.

Malia, 26, and Sasha, 23, Obama’s two children, grew up in the White House but are now full-grown women looking to build a name for themselves outside of the famed Obama name.

For example, Malia used her middle name, Ann, as her surname in the credits of The Heart, a short film she created and produced.

Michelle has already spoken out after the name change became public, explaining to actresses Kate and Oliver Hudson on an episode of their Sibling Revelry podcast why Malia has opted to shed the well-known surname.

“It is very important for my children to feel as if they have earned what they have in life,” the former first lady stated on the program.

Michelle continued, “Our girls [Malia and Sasha] are 26 and 23. They are young adult women, but they did go through a phase in their adolescent years where they were pushed away… [where] they were striving to separate themselves.

“Malia, who started in cinema with her first production, took off her last name, and we were like, They’ll still recognize you, Malia. However, we acknowledged her efforts to establish her own way.

“As kids get older, I believe they are adopting our parenting ideals. They now realize why we did many of the things we did.

“They understand us as full human beings now, in the same way that I think I discovered that about my parents when I went away to college.”

Former President Barack Obama has also spoken out on Malia’s career as she strives to build a name for herself in the film business.

“[Malia’s] first film went to Sundance and all these fancy film festivals, and she didn’t use Obama as director on the credits,” Ryan Clark, a presidential adviser, said.

“She’s like, ‘You know what? I want them to view it for the first time and have no relationship [with the Obama name]. So I believe our girls go out of their way to avoid using it.”