Barack and Michelle Obama mark Mother's Day with messages of gratitude

Former President Barack Obama and wife Michelle Obama marked a pandemic-era Mother’s Day on Sunday with messages of gratitude for moms everywhere.

Barack Obama honored his wife in his social media post. “Even if you can’t give the moms in your life a hug today, I hope you can give them an extra thank you today,” he tweeted Sunday morning alongside a picture of him hugging his wife. “Thank you and Happy Mother’s Day to the woman who makes it all possible.”

Michelle Obama used the opportunity to acknowledge that many families may be apart during the pandemic. She thanked mothers who are working “tirelessly” to get their families, communities and workplaces through these challenging times.

“And I know many of you are separated from your families today, whether due to physical distancing or because your loved ones are essential workers, sacrificing this time to keep the rest of us safe,” she wrote.

While most people would be unable to get out of the house and spend the day with their moms, Obama said she would instead reach out to mother figures in her life who “may need a little extra love today.”

The former first couple has kept busy during the outbreak, with the release of Michelle Obama’s memoir “Becoming” on Netflix earlier this month and a number of virtual speaking engagements about navigating the impact of the outbreak.

In May, Michelle Obama said she, Barack and their daughters Malia, 21, and Sasha, 18, were appreciating family time while isolating at home together.

In the midst of a tweetstorm covering a range topics ― including criticizing Obama, former Vice President Joe Biden and the media, and celebrating the reopening of the country and a Trump golf course ― President Donald Trump also marked Mother’s Day with a tweet:

First Lady Melania Trump marked the occasion with a recorded video thanking “all of the caring, selfless and devoted moms of America.”

Although she did not mention the pandemic, she celebrated the role of mothers in their families and in society. She invited Americans to take time to celebrate and thank their moms for their “wisdom, love & commitment to their children & families.”