Time is a weird thing, isn't it? One minute you’re watching two little girls with bows in their hair skip onto a stage in Chicago, and the next, they’re full-blown adults with careers, apartments, and lives that have almost nothing to do with politics. If you’re wondering how old are Barack Obama’s daughters, you’re definitely not alone. It feels like just yesterday Sasha was the "baby" of the White House, but today, they are both navigating their mid-twenties in a world that still can’t stop watching them.
The Big Question: How Old Are Barack Obama’s Daughters Right Now?
Let’s get the numbers out of the way first because that’s why you’re here. As of early 2026, the math is actually pretty straightforward, even if it makes some of us feel a bit ancient.
Malia Ann Obama is currently 27 years old. She was born on the Fourth of July in 1998. It’s kinda poetic, right? Being the daughter of a president and having the entire country set off fireworks on your birthday every single year. She’s the elder sister, the one who first navigated the awkwardness of having Secret Service agents tag along on high school dates.
Then there’s Sasha Obama (whose real name is actually Natasha, though almost nobody calls her that). Sasha is 24 years old. Born on June 10, 2001, she holds the distinction of being the youngest child to live in the White House since Baby John-John Kennedy. When her dad took office, she was only seven. Think about that for a second. She spent nearly a decade of her formative childhood in a literal museum.
Life at 27: Malia’s Hollywood Pivot
Honestly, Malia has taken a path that surprised a lot of people who expected her to go into law or politics like her parents. Instead of D.C. courtrooms, she’s in writers' rooms.
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After graduating from Harvard in 2021, she headed straight for Los Angeles. She didn't just coast on her name, either. In fact, she’s been pretty adamant about carving out an identity that isn't just "The President's Daughter." If you look at the credits for her recent film work, you’ll see she often goes by Malia Ann.
She worked as a staff writer on the Amazon Prime series Swarm, collaborating with Donald Glover (Childish Gambino). Glover has been vocal about her talent, mentioning in interviews that she has a very specific, grounded perspective. More recently, she made her directorial debut at the Sundance Film Festival with her short film, The Heart. It’s a quiet, emotional piece—not the kind of "political statement" piece people might have predicted.
Sasha at 24: Finding Her Own Groove
Sasha has always seemed to be the more private of the two, at least as far as the media is concerned. She started her college journey at the University of Michigan before transferring to the University of Southern California (USC), where she graduated in 2023 with a degree in sociology.
Living in L.A. with her sister, Sasha has become something of a style icon for Gen Z. You’ll occasionally see paparazzi shots of her just living a normal 24-year-old life—grabbing coffee, going to the gym, or hanging out with friends. There were rumors for a while about her dating the son of actor Clifton Powell, but for the most part, she keeps her private life locked down tight.
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It's clear that the "sisters-as-roommates" vibe is real. Michelle Obama has joked in interviews about how the two of them now host her and Barack for dinner, even if the "fine china" is just some basic Target plates. It’s a massive shift from the formal state dinners they grew up with.
The Struggle for "Normalcy"
You have to wonder what it’s like to be 24 or 27 and have every outfit choice analyzed by the internet. When Malia was spotted smoking a cigarette years ago, the internet went into a meltdown. When Sasha posts a TikTok with friends, it becomes national news.
The Obamas have been very intentional about letting their daughters "fail and grow" away from the spotlight. Michelle often talks about how she had to "release" them into the world, knowing they’d make mistakes just like anyone else.
"They are their own people," Michelle said during a 2025 podcast appearance. "They don't want to be 'The Former First Daughters' forever. They just want to be Malia and Sasha."
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A Timeline of the Obama Sisters
- 1998: Malia is born in Chicago.
- 2001: Sasha arrives three years later.
- 2009: The family moves into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
- 2017: The family leaves the White House; Malia starts at Harvard.
- 2019: Sasha heads to the University of Michigan.
- 2021: Malia graduates and moves to L.A.
- 2023: Sasha graduates from USC.
- 2024-2026: Both sisters establish independent lives in the creative and social sectors.
Why We Are Still Obsessed
Maybe we’re so curious about how old they are because we used them as a yardstick for our own lives. If you were a parent in 2008, you watched them grow up alongside your own kids. If you were a kid then, you saw them as the "cool" older girls.
They represent a specific era of American history that feels both very recent and a lifetime ago. Seeing them as 20-somethings is a reminder that time doesn't stop, even for the most famous families in the world. They’ve managed to transition from the most scrutinized children in the country to relatively low-key adults, which is a feat in itself.
If you're looking to follow their journeys, don't expect a reality show. They seem perfectly content staying behind the camera or out of the frame entirely.
The most important takeaway? Keep an eye on the credits of your favorite indie films for "Malia Ann" and expect Sasha to continue being the low-key "cool girl" of the West Coast. They aren't kids anymore—they're the next generation of creators and thinkers, and they're doing it on their own terms.
To stay updated on their professional projects, you can check out the latest updates from the Sundance Institute regarding Malia's film career or follow the Obama Foundation for news on the family's broader philanthropic work.