--- title: Obama Farewell Speech: Watch His Tribute to His Family description: President Barack Obama made a touching, tearful tribute to his wife and daughters during his farewell address Tuesday in Chicago canonical: https://time.com/4631041/barack-obama-farewell-speech-michelle-tribute-sasha-malia/ author: Feliz Solomon article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-01-11T04:02:22.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T02:39:27.959Z article:section: Politics og:title: Watch Obama's Touching Tribute to His Family og:description: "You've made me proud," he said during his farewell address in Chicago og:url: https://time.com/4631041/barack-obama-farewell-speech-michelle-tribute-sasha-malia/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt72fe6fe5430d68a5/6988b513a988ca909e6ba9a6/rtx2yep9.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Michelle Obama and her daughter Malia embrace as Obama praises them during his farewell address in Chicago, Illinois og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Watch Obama's Touching Tribute to His Family twitter:description: "You've made me proud," he said during his farewell address in Chicago twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt72fe6fe5430d68a5/6988b513a988ca909e6ba9a6/rtx2yep9.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 'You've Made the Country Proud': Watch President Obama's Touching Tribute to His Family ## Video: Obama Gives Plenty of Hugs Following His Farewell Speech [Watch (HLS stream): Obama Gives Plenty of Hugs Following His Farewell Speech](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/DweZRtrR.m3u8) (0:29)  _Published 2017-01-11. President Obama’s Tuesday evening remarks were billed as a requiem for his time in office, the last time he would address the nation while holding the title as commander-in-chief._ by [Feliz Solomon](/author/feliz-solomon/) ## Feliz Solomon Jan 11, 2017 4:02 AM CUT  U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama and her daughter Malia embrace as during President Barack Obama's farewell address in Chicago, Illinois, on Jan. 10, 2017 U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama and her daughter Malia embrace as during President Barack Obama's farewell address in Chicago, Illinois, on Jan. 10, 2017Jonathan Ernst—Reuters by [Feliz Solomon](/author/feliz-solomon/) ## Feliz Solomon Jan 11, 2017 4:02 AM CUT President Barack Obama kept his composure throughout most of his emotional hour-long farewell address in Chicago on Tuesday night, but when the topic turned to his wife, First Lady Michelle Obama, the tears began to well up. “Michelle LaVaughn Robinson of the South Side, for the past 25 years, you have not only been my wife and mother of my children, you have been my best friend,” Obama said. “You took on a role you didn’t ask for. And you made it your own with grace and with grit and with style, and good humor. You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody. And a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model. You have made me proud, and you have made the country proud.” Obama then turned attention to his daughters Sasha and Malia, saying that they have become “two amazing young women. You are smart and you are beautiful. But more importantly, you are kind and you are thoughtful and you are full of passion.” He added: “You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily. Of all that I’ve done in my life, I’m most proud to be your dad.” Malia, who was seated next Michelle, was seen wiping tears from her cheeks at her father’s words. After the event, the First Lady took to Twitter to return her husband’s praise. > [](https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/819023638754164738) Watch the President’s full remarks to his family above. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4631041/barack-obama-farewell-speech-michelle-tribute-sasha-malia/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4631041/barack-obama-farewell-speech-michelle-tribute-sasha-malia/"},"headline":"'You've Made the Country Proud': Watch President Obama's Touching Tribute to His Family","datePublished":"2017-01-11T04:02:22.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T02:39:27.959Z","description":"\"You've made me proud. 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