Is MAGA Influencer Riley Gaines Related To Chip & Joanna Gaines?

Like most celebs with the same last name, many people assume that Republican activist and former swimmer Riley Gaines is related to the married HGTV couple, Chip and Joanna Gaines. Are they actually family? Well, no. Riley shared as much on X, formerly known as Twitter, on July 15, 2025. "Not related to Chip and Joanna Gaines btw," she tweeted. Her post kicked off a string of replies in the comment section, with people joking about not being related to famous stars and public figures who shared their last name. "Not related to Harry Sisson btw," tweeted one account with the handle @Rob_Sisson.

It's unknown what officially prompted Riley to finally address her rumored relation to the "Fixer Upper" stars. However, given the timing, it seems highly likely that she was attempting to distance herself from Chip and Joanna. That's because denizens of the internet had been condemning the married pair for featuring a same-sex couple in a trailer for Magnolia Network, their television channel and media venture. Riley, who claims to be a Christian but has transitioned into a full-time critic of the transgender community, obviously didn't want to be associated with Chip and Joanna's controversial moment. 

Riley neither publicly criticized the HGTV couple nor commented on the situation directly, but Chip did. Responding to the online backlash on X, Chip wrote, "It's a sad sunday when 'non believers' have never been confronted with hate or vitriol until they are introduced to a modern American Christian."

While Riley Gaines has clarified that she shares no affiliation with Chip and Joanna Gaines, some still think Riley is related to Rowdy Gaines, who is also a swimmer. Some even mistake them for the same person. Unlike Riley, however, Rowdy has actually gone to the Olympics, winning three gold medals as a result. They also share a massive age gap. As of October 2025, Riley is 25 years old, while Rowdy is a 66-year-old man. Of course, that hasn't stopped the confusion. As one person wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "I'm pretty sure Riley Gaines gets so much attention because folks confuse her with Rowdy Gaines (no relation), an Olympic gold medalist swimmer who has been a TV swimming commentator at every Olympics since 1996."

As far as Riley's possible connection to Chip and Joanna, they all appear to be on diverging paths. In addition to complaining about transgender athletes, Riley also announced that she was pregnant in June 2025, giving birth in October. "One day we'll show our daughter these photos and explain that, despite how happy we look, our lives weren't yet complete," she posted to Instagram, alongside her maternity photos. "We're ready for you, baby girl." Meanwhile, Chip has been busy hyping up his wife over landing her very own Barbie doll. "Joanna is already in a class of her own.. but when @barbie called and asked to make her part of their doll family, I nearly burst with pride," he shared on Instagram alongside Joanna holding a copy of a prototype of her doll.