Ryan Lochte Facing Heat After Moving In With Latest Girlfriend

Ryan Lochte is moving on along with his recent girlfriend, Molly Gillihan— quite literally. In a brand new interview, the Olympic gold medalist opened up about his decision to maneuver in along with his partner just seven months after his estranged wife, Kayla Lochte, announced she had filed for divorce. Nevertheless, the response to the elite athlete’s latest life update wasn’t pretty, as users slammed the 41-year-old for advancing the connection too quickly.

Ryan spent much of 2025 within the headlines after battling along with his estranged wife, Kayla, over the custody of their children in contentious court documents.

Now, the swimmer is the subject of conversation due to his recent move along with his girlfriend, Gillihan.

Speaking with PEOPLE, Ryan told the publication that moving in with Gillihan over the brand new yr was “the suitable next step,” saying he’s spent the “last 10 months” specializing in himself. “That meant doing the work — going to rehab, rededicating my life to Christ, going to therapy and making changes that put my children first.”

“Due to that growth, I’m grateful to now have my kids 50% of the time,” he added.

Ryan also expressed his excitement about his recent “blended family,” saying that coming together as one only made sense after realizing they were aligned on what matters most.

“Together, we’re a family of six kids. She’s my best friend, our youngsters have formed an incredible bond, and it became clear that being together under one roof was the suitable next step for all of us,” he said.

In an Instagram post, Ryan shared images of himself and Gillihan seated on the ground of their recent home, each clad in monochromatic sweatsuits.

“Home Sweet Home,” the Olympian captioned the post.

The response was anything but sweet, nevertheless, as fans flooded the post’s comment section with critical statements.

“You are moving too fast, Ryan,” a user wrote. “Slow the f down.”

“Are you divorced yet? You are presupposed to upgrade, not settle,” a second person commented.

“Didn’t you guys turn into a thing like lower than a yr ago?” one other wrote.

A fourth user questioned, “Did your medals pay for it?”

The announcement of Ryan’s recent property comes at an interesting time, because the swimmer and his estranged wife were named in a lawsuit filed by the Fletcher Park Owners’ Association, based on The Blast.

The documents state that Ryan and Kayla didn’t pay “the assessments of every type, interest, late fees, administrative fees, attorney’s fees, and costs of collections attributable to [the owner’s associate].”

The association reportedly filed a lien on the pair’s Gainesville, Florida, property for $4,000 in July 2025, but later filed a proper lawsuit after the fees remained unpaid.

Ryan was also the focal point at the top of 2025 when he revealed he was auctioning three of his gold medals from the 2004, 2008, and 2016 Summer Games. It was later confirmed that Lochte finalized deals for the prized possessions for a hefty $385,520.

Very similar to his decision to maneuver in along with his partner, Ryan faced backlash over the auction, but fired back at critics almost immediately, claiming the medals didn’t mean nearly as much to him as many assumed they did.

“My passion has at all times been about being the most effective swimmers on this planet. Those medals? They were just the cherry on top of an incredible journey,” he said. “I’ve given away medals to fans and young kids within the stands, since it’s never been nearly me. It’s about inspiring the subsequent generation and helping them chase their dreams. The memories, the exertions, and the reference to all of you might be what I treasure probably the most.”

Kayla posted about her decision to separate from Ryan in the summertime of 2025 after significant reflection. “I hold marriage in the very best regard, so this has been one of the painful, revealing, and difficult seasons of my life. I have been hesitant to share until I could achieve this from a spot of healing — not from fresh, open wounds,” she said, based on The Blast.

“Sometimes we face trials we didn’t select or see coming. And in those moments, we’re forced to make the toughest decisions to guard our peace, our youngsters, and our future. I’ve come to the understanding that staying is not at all times probably the most loving decision someone could make. For me, leaving was an act of affection — for those around me and for myself.”