President Barack Obama has candidly acknowledged that he has been “digging myself out of a hole” in his relationship with Michelle Obama. This admission was made during Obama’s European speaking tour at London’s O2 Arena on Wednesday. The former president stated that his tenure in the White House had put a strain on his relationship with his wife. “I was digging myself out of the hole I found myself in with Michelle … Now I’m at about level ground,” he said.

Obama conceded that mending their relationship had been a “challenge”, a fact that became apparent when Michelle Obama did not accompany him to the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter in January, nor to President Donald Trump’s inauguration a week later.

Obama also addressed President Trump’s recent comments related to autism and the pain reliever, Tylenol. The former president accused his successor of committing “violence against the truth” by spreading unsupported claims. “We have the spectacle of my successor in the Oval Office, making broad claims around certain drugs and autism that have been continuously disproved,” Obama said.

“The degree to which that undermines public health, the degree to which that can harm women who are pregnant, the degree to which that creates anxiety for parents who do have children who are autistic — which, by the way, itself is subject to a spectrum, and a lot of what is being trumpeted as these massive increases actually have to do with a broadening of the criteria across that spectrum so that people can actually get services and help,” Obama said. “All of that is violence against the truth.”‘

Related: Amid Heated Debate, White House Resurfaces Old Tylenol Pregnancy Guidance

Reports from the Trump Administration in April indicated that it would begin a significant research initiative to understand the cause of autism by September. Kenvue, the manufacturer of Tylenol, however, has strongly disagreed with the administration’s assessment, maintaining that “acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women.” A company spokesperson added, “We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism.”

This raises important questions about the role of public figures in disseminating accurate information, the impact of their words on public health, and the ongoing scrutiny of private relationships in the public eye.