Ryan Lochte Defends Engagement Before Divorce Is Final

Caption: Ryan Lochte competing in the 200m backstroke at the London 2012 Olympics. Credit: Rory, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Ryan Lochte is defending his decision to get engaged before his divorce from Kayla Rae Reid is legally finalized, after backlash over both the timing and his use of the word “divorced” to describe his current status.

What You Should Know

The retired Olympic swimmer confirmed his engagement to Molly Gillihan, a kindergarten teacher, on June 19, and the couple announced it publicly on June 21 with a joint Instagram post showing Lochte proposing, according to People. Reid filed for divorce from Lochte in March 2025 after seven years of marriage, citing the relationship as “irretrievably broken,” and the couple share three children.

The Public Image Problem

Lochte addressed the criticism in a June 22 Instagram Stories post, writing, “Correction: Apparently I’m not allowed to say I’m divorced until every signature is in place,” and calling it “my mistake for thinking the hard part was over,” according to People. He added that the response to the engagement had led him and Gillihan to a sobering realization: “Molly and I are realizing this may just be the beginning of a very tough and exhausting road.”

The Receipts

Gillihan, who also has three children from a previous marriage, wrote in her own engagement announcement that she “always said I would never get married again” before Lochte “gently, patiently, and faithfully changed that.” The couple made their relationship Instagram official in July 2025, with Gillihan saying their romance began only after Lochte was already living separately from Reid and had been served divorce papers.

What Happens Next

With the divorce from Reid still working through the court system, the legal timeline for Lochte to officially remarry remains unresolved. Lochte’s June 22 statement suggests he and Gillihan expect continued public scrutiny as both processes play out.

References: People