Molly Gillihan has rejected claims by Ryan Lochte's ex-wife Kayla Reid that she was a homewrecker who destroyed their seven-year marriage.
The kindergarten teacher spoke out following an explosive tell-all interview by Reid, who accused Lochte of having a secret affair with Gillihan before their divorce was finalized last month.
Reid retains primary custody of the three children she shares with Lochte: Caiden, 9, Liv, 7, and Georgia, 3. She previously described her seven-year marriage to the former Olympic swimmer as a ticking time bomb.
Lochte has started a new life with Gillihan after securing a job in college swimming. The couple got engaged in June and relocated from Gainesville, Florida, to Missouri.
Lochte told People at the time of their engagement that he was "moving on with my life to bigger and better things, especially marrying Molly."
Denial of affair and friendship
Gillihan denied having a secret affair or ever being friends with Reid, contradicting claims made in Reid's interview.
"No [I wasn't Kayla's friend] and I'll take that to my grave," Gillihan told TMZ. "I would never consider Kayla a friend of mine, ever. I would never date a friend's husband."
Gillihan stated that she and Reid had met "only four or five times" and insisted she played no role in ending the couple's marriage.
"I did not break up your marriage. I'm not a home-wrecker. Your home was broken when I met Ryan," Gillihan said. "He was not living in the home. [Reid] filed for divorce. … Reid had kicked him out."
She added: "I understand her being mad and upset, but to lie and make things up about me, I don't get. I really don't understand."
Gillihan revealed that her first date with Lochte took place on April 10, 2025, after Reid filed for divorce last March.
"It got so messy because she kept coming around she kept being places I was at and she kept talking [negatively] to me about him," Gillihan said. "It was messy on my part if I could do it again I would've just removed myself from the situation completely."
Lochte previously gave details of how the pair met to the Daily Mail. He insisted that "there was no infidelity" and that "Molly didn't do anything wrong," although he admitted to infidelity during his marriage.
Substance abuse claims and rehab ultimatum
Reid made a string of detailed allegations regarding substance abuse inside their household during her interview.
She claimed to have found evidence of Lochte using cocaine in their daughter Liv's bedroom and using nitrous oxide in front of their children.
Lochte previously admitted to drug usage, but he has adamantly denied using substances in front of his children.
Reid said she issued an ultimatum in January 2025 alongside their therapist, demanding that Lochte enter a 30-day inpatient rehab facility and complete marriage counselling.
"He screamed, said he wasn't going to rehab, he didn't have a problem," Reid said. "I called the attorney and filed for divorce."
Lochte responds to ex-wife allegations
In a statement to People, Lochte declined to address specific allegations but acknowledged past personal failures.
"Over the past several years, I've taken responsibility for the mistakes I've made and have spoken openly about some of the lowest moments in my life," Lochte said. "Looking back, I wasn't ready to be a husband or the man my family deserved at that point in my life."
"That's on me," Lochte added. "I'm incredibly grateful for my children, and they are the greatest gift to come from that chapter of my life. I'm not going to engage in a back-and-forth about my divorce or respond to every allegation or characterization."
