Trinity Rodman Says Dennis Rodman Is "Not a Dad" While Detailing ...
Will Jon Gosselin Invite Estranged Children to His Upcoming Wedding? He Says...
Trinity Rodman is setting the record straight.
The Olympic soccer player shared insight into her challenging relationship with her estranged dad Dennis Rodman.
"He's not a dad," Trinity told Alex Cooper on the Dec. 18 episode of Call Her Daddy. "Maybe by blood, but nothing else."
She emphasized that although she and her brother Dennis "DJ" Rodman—who Dennis shares with his ex-wife Michelle Moyer—stayed quiet about the strained dynamic, she was finally ready to speak on it.
"Me and my brother have been very generous with the way that we've talked about it and very unselfish," she said. "We never want to make him look bad and that is at the cost of holding in a lot of issues that we've gone through and trauma."
Trinity, 22, often danced around questions about the 63-year-old, who is also dad to Alexis Rodman with ex-wife Annie Bakes, in interviews.
"I've tried to make it obvious that I don't know how he's feeling, and I don't know where he is," she explained. "I don't want to blame the interviewers, but at the same time, I've made it clear that he's not present."
The gold medalist—who scored three goals during the 2024 Paris Olympics—shared that although the former NBA superstar's relationship with his kids and now ex-wife Michelle wasn't great, it declined drastically following their 2012 divorce.
"My dad was helping money-wise," she explained of her early childhood. "He would actually give money to my mom. When the divorce happened, it was like, 'F--k you, guys.'"
Throughout the years, Trinity said, despite having to live in a car with her mom and brother for some time during their childhood, Michelle tried to make "every situation seem smoother than it actually was."
Taylor Hill/WireImage/Michael Tullberg/Getty Images
"That's what parents do to protect their children," she said. "He partied all the time. We tried to live with him, but he's having parties 24/7. He's bringing random b--ches in."
As she noted, it's been frustrating watching Dennis' candidness about his parenting, or lack thereof, in interviews.
"I do believe that he wishes that he could fight his demons," Trinity said. "I roll my eyes because you hear something so many times, but he does nothing to change it. Like, 'I wish I was a better dad.' He said that in so many interviews. It's like, OK. Then do something."
Dennis did occasionally make an appearance, like at the National Women's Soccer League semi-finals in 2021. This situation was uncomfortable for Trinity, who admitted she was "so mad" that he showed up.
Tony Quinn/ISI Photos/Getty Images
"Going into my rookie year, going into a quarterfinal, I'm already s--tting my pants as it is," she recalled. "I'm stressed, like, 'Oh my gosh, we have to win.'"
"I hear him go, 'Let's go, Rodman, let's go, Trinity,'" she said. "I'm like, 'oh my f--king gosh.' Like, there's no way this is happening right now. Mind you, I haven't seen him or talked to him in months."
Although she was angry with Dennis for taking this "happy moment" from her, Trinity tried to make the best of it. The former athlete, who has struggled with alcohol abuse in the past, promised to keep in contact after and he ultimately didn't.
"He was like, 'I want to see you soon, I'm in D.C.,'" she recalled. "I didn't see him until this year."
Brad Smith/ISI/Getty Images
Despite emphasizing that Dennis is "an extremely selfish human being," Trinity also reflected on his "demons" that led to this outcome.
"With how successful he was and how rich he was, he was surrounded by a lot of toxic people who would take his money and take advantage of him," she said. "Because he was in alcohol, he was brainwashed and didn't really have any control over anything."
However, his family attempted to be his support, which ultimately failed.
Ray Tamarra/Getty Images
"We tried to be that foundation and to be the good people around him because, in reality, we never asked for anything unless we really needed it," she explained. "We just want you. He's never understood that fact cause he's never experienced it."
"He's had messed up family issues as well," Trinity continued. "He never understood that people could actually just want to be around him and just want to make him happy. He's always thinking money, money, money."
E! News has reached out to Dennis' reps for comment and has not heard back.
Keep reading to see more athletes, like Trinity, who made a name for themselves at the 2024 Paris Olympics…
Richard Ellis/UPI/Shutterstock
Katie Ledecky
After notching a gold in 1500m freestyle, a silver in 4x200 freestyle relay and a bronze in 400m freestyle at the Paris Games, the American swimmer became the most decorated female Olympian in U.S. history.
With a career total of 13 medals, she is also the most decorated female swimmer in Olympic history.
Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images
Léon Marchand
Marchand Mania was at an all-time high during the men's 200m breaststroke final, when the French swimmer set an Olympic record of 2:05.85. The impressive time snagged Marchand his third gold medal at the Paris Games.
Manuel Reino/Shutterstock
Jessica Fox
By winning a gold medal in K1, the canoeist became the first Australian athlete to win four consecutive Olympic medals in the same event—having taken home bronze at Tokyo 2020 and at Rio de Janeiro 2016, as well as silver in London 2012.
Her C1 gold medal victory three days later made her the most-decorated Olympic slalom paddler in the world.
An Lingjun/CHINASPORTS/VCG via Getty Images
Pan Zhanle
The Chinese swimmer set a new world record in men's 100m freestyle with a gold medal-worthy time of 46.40 seconds, a full four tenths from his previous record.
Ryan Browne/Shutterstock
Cassandre Beaugrand
After braving the Seine, as well as streets of Paris on bike and foot, the Olympian claimed France's first gold medal in triathlon with a time of 1:54:55.
ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images
Adriana Ruano Oliva
Once an aspiring Olympic gymnast, the sports shooter notched Guatemala's first-ever gold medal when she scored 45 points in the women's trap event.
JEROME BROUILLET/AFP via Getty Images
Gabriel Medina
The Brazilian surfer set a new Olympic record—and went viral with this photo—when he came out of a huge barrel wave with a 9.90, the highest single-wave score in the sport since surfing made its debut at 2020 Tokyo Games.
YOAN VALAT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Jose Torres Gil
With his golden win in the men's park final, this BMX rider from Argentina rode his way into the history books by scoring the country's first individual medal in the sport of cycling.
In addition, his medal was Argentina's first in the 2024 Paris Olympics and the nation's first gold in any sport since 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
Manuel Reino/Shutterstock
Simone Biles
She really is the GOAT! Biles became the most decorated U.S. Olympic gymnast in history after winning her eighth medal—her fifth gold—at the women's gymnastics team all-around final.
Biles went on to win another gold in the individual all-around event.
LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images
Italy Women's Gymnastics Team
But Biles wasn't the only gymnast who made history at the women's all-around final: Angela Andreoli, Alice D'Amato, Manila Esposito, Elisa Iorio, Giorgia Villa nabbed Team Italy its first medal in the event since 1928 with their silver win.
Naomi Baker/Getty Images
Brazil Women's Gymnastics Team
Rebeca Andrade, Jade Barbosa, Lorrane Oliveira, Flavia Saraiva and Julia Soares also made history on the podium, winning a bronze for Team Brazil's first-ever medal in women's gymnastics team all-around.
Xinhua/Shutterstock
Manu Bhaker
Just three days into the Paris Games, the sharpshooter entered the history books as the first Indian athlete to win multiple medals in a single edition of the Olympics since the nation gained independence in 1947.
She notched a bronze in the women's 10m air pistol—making her the first female shooter from India to win a medal at any Olympics—before landing another bronze alongside teammate Sarabjot Singh in the 10m air rifle, the country's first-ever shooting team medal.
Michael Steele/Getty Images
U.S. Women's Rugby Team
With eight seconds left on the clock, Alex Sedrick caught a pass and scored as time ran out, leading to a conversion that resulted in a 14-12 game against Australia.
The dramatic victory gave the Women's Eagles a bronze, Team USA's first-ever Olympic medal in the rugby.
Xinhua/Shutterstock
David Popovici
The Olympian made history as the first Romanian man to win a gold medal for swimming when he took home the top prize in the 200m freestyle event.
Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Ryan Murphy
Just call it an American victory story! In scoring a bronze on July 29, the Team USA swimmer became the first man to win a 100m backstroke medal in three consecutive Olympics since 1972.
The prize was the latest addition to his already-impressive medal collection, which includes a bronze from Tokyo 2020 and a gold from the Rio de Janeiro Games 2016 for the same event.
FRANCK ROBICHON/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Mollie O'Callaghan
The Australian swimmer set an Olympic record with a time of 1:53.27 in women’s 200m freestyle, beating out defending champ and teammate Ariarne Titmus for the gold.
Naomi Baker/Getty Images
Hillary Heron
No other gymnast except Simone Biles has ever performed a double layout with a half-twist—a difficult move aptly dubbed "Biles I"—at the Olympics until Heron came along.
The Panamanian athlete successfully landed it while competing against the stunt's namesake during the gymnastics qualifier.
JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images
Christa Deguchi
Team Canada scored its first gold medal in judo thanks to Deguchi, who defeated Republic of Korea's Huh Mimi in a heated July 29 match.
RONALD WITTEK/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Gretchen Walsh
In her first-ever Summer Games, the American swimmer broke the Olympic record in the 100m butterfly semifinal with a time of 55.38 seconds.
Christina Pahnke - sampics/Getty Images
South Sudan Men's Basketball Team
South Sudan—the youngest country in the world—made its Olympics debut on July 28, with their men's basketball team playing against Puerto Rico.
The South Sudan Bright Stars won their first-ever Olympic game with a final score of 90-79.
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Nino Salukvadze
The sharpshooter made Olympic history as the world's first and only athlete to compete in 10 consecutive Summer Games when she pulled the trigger at the women's 10m air pistol qualifers on July 27.
The three-time medalist made her Olympic debut back at 1988 Seoul.
CHINE NOUVELLE/SIPA/Shutterstock
Ahmad Abu Al-Soud
For the first time in Olympic history, Jordan was represented in men's gymnastic when Abu Al-Soud competed on the pommel horse. He finished with a score of 12.466 during the qualification round.
Naomi Baker/Getty Images
Lais Najjar
Syria also saw its first male gymnast compete in the Olympics during the Paris Summer Games, with Najjar raising the bar in the all-around event.
Daniela Porcelli/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
U.S. Men's Gymnastics Team
Stephen Nedoroscik, Frederick Richard, Brody Malone, Paul Juda and Asher Hong won Team USA's first medal in men's gymnastics in 16 years, earning a bronze.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Giannis Antetokounmpo
The basketball player made history as the first Black flagbearer for Greece during the Opening Ceremony.
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Quincy Wilson
The track and field star, who turned 16 in January, "etched his name" in history, according to Team USA, when he became the youngest male athlete to make 4x400m relay squad.
Kyle Okita/CSM/Shutterstock
Hezly Rivera
As for the youngest athlete in any sport to make Team USA? That'll be Rivera, who turned 16 just weeks before she was selected to join the women's gymnastics team.
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
