Barack Obama stirred up some attention on Tuesday when he complimented a woman on her appearance during a campaign event in New Jersey.

At a rally supporting New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill, the former president engaged in a lighthearted exchange with a vocal supporter, catching the audience by surprise.

“I heard you, girl, just settle down,” Obama, at 64, jested as he tried to calm the enthusiastic crowd, a moment captured in a clip broadcasted by CNN.

Turning his attention to the woman who had been shouting, he remarked, “I’m here to talk to everybody, not just you.”

The father of two added with a wink, “I mean, you look cute,” prompting laughter and cheers from the audience at the playful interaction.

He quickly followed up with, “But I am married. Michelle’s fine too,” keeping the mood light and humorous.

The exchange comes as rumors continue to swirl regarding the Obamas’ marriage, which has been plagued with divorce speculation over the past few months.

Theories their relationship had hit a rough patch began after Michelle Obama skipped both Jimmy Carter’s funeral and President Donald Trump’s inauguration earlier in the year. 

Barack Obama raised eyebrows on Tuesday after he told a woman she ‘looked cute’ while campaigning in New Jersey 

However, the author, 61, previously alluded to why she may have skipped those events, explaining she is finally able to set her own calendar now she is no longer First Lady – which means saying no to some events.

‘[This year] was a real big example of me, myself, looking at something that I was supposed to do – you know, without naming names – and I chose to do what was best for me, not what I had to do, not what I thought other people wanted me to do,’ she told host Sophia Bush on her Working It Out podcast in April. 

In July, the couple addressed the rumors they are heading for a divorce with Barack appearing as a guest on his wife’s podcast IMO, which she co-hosts with her brother Craig Robinson.

The pair wasted no time in addressing the rumors of their separation, with Michelle saying it is nice to be in the same room as her husband, sassily adding that when they aren’t, ‘folks think we’re divorced.’

Michelle then made a heartfelt admission about the relationship she shares with her husband of 33 years.

‘There hasn’t been one moment in our marriage where I thought about quitting my man,’ she said passionately.

She continued: ‘And we’ve had some really hard times. So we had a lot of fun times, a lot of adventures, and I have become a better person because of the man I’m married to.’

Michelle acknowledged that marriage is ‘hard’ for them both, but added that she wouldn’t trade it, calling her husband, ‘as the young people say… my person.’

‘I heard you girl, just settle down,’ Obama, 64, joked as he attempted to tame the rowdy crowd in a clip shared by CNN 

In July, the couple addressed the rumors they are heading for a divorce with Barack appearing as a guest on his wife’s podcast IMO, which she co-hosts with her brother Craig Robinson 

Obama previously made a frank admission that he was in a ‘deep deficit’ with his wife after his two presidential terms, while addressing college students 

‘The beauty of my husband and our partnership is that neither one of us was ever really, ever going to quit at it, because that’s not who we are. And I know that about him. He knows that about me.’ 

She continued, suggesting that young people give up on marriage too soon sometimes because they see a false image of a perfect union between herself and her husband.

‘I talk about these things because I think that people give up too quickly on marriage,’ the Becoming author said.

‘Because there is so much friction built into the equation. And if you’re not getting help, talking about it, going to therapy, just understanding how things are changing, and how do you continuously renegotiate your relationship with your partner, I just see people quitting,’ she said.

‘Because they look at me and Barack and go, “#couple goals.” And I’m like, it’s hard,’ Michelle added.

In April, Obama made a frank admission that he was in a ‘deep deficit’ with his wife after his two presidential terms, while addressing college students.

‘I have been trying to dig myself out of that hole by doing occasionally fun things,’ the former Democratic president admitted. 

The mom-of-two has also shared insight into being an empty nester with a husband who is no longer serving as the President, admitting it’s very freeing.

‘I mean at this stage in life for me, personally, is the first time I’ve been completely free,’ she told guest Julia Louis-Dreyfus in July.

‘There’s been a release where every choice I make is not about my husband, not about his career, not about my family, not about what my kids need or where they’re going, it’s totally about me,’ she admitted, quipping: ‘This is when we start living ladies.’