Khloe Kardashian Finally Speaks Out About The Tristan Thompson Paternity Scandal
The relationship between Khloé Kardashian and Tristan Thompson was filled with scandal — both when they were dating and when they broke up. Khloé cut ties with the NBA player in June 2021, which came after model Sydney Chase allegedly had an affair with him. The former couple — who share daughter True Thompson — remained on good terms. "There is no drama," a source told Page Six after the split.
Later that year, the relationship became more complicated when it was revealed that Tristan had impregnated another woman, Maralee Nichols, while he was still dating Khloé. Reportedly, he hooked up with the personal trainer around his birthday in March 2021, per the Daily Mail. Originally, the NBA veteran offered Maralee $75,000 to have an abortion. "With respect to her pregnancy insisting that she get an abortion and threatening that she will get next to nothing with lesser support requirements in Texas," a paternity suit filed by Maralee read, per Page Six. Included in the court documents were alleged text messages between Maralee and Tristan, where he made it clear that he wanted no involvement with raising the child.
While Tristan made headlines with the very-public paternity suit, Khloé remained quiet on the subject. Although the reality star did make a cryptic Instagram post about "betrayal" on January 27 that several outlets believed was intended for Tristan. Weeks later, Khloé addressed the messy situation with her ex.
Why Khloé Kardashian included the scandal in the show
The Kardashian clan migrated their hit reality series from E! to Hulu, where they rebranded the show to "The Kardashians." The storyline of Khloé Kardashian and Tristan Thompson's drama amidst his paternity lawsuit will be included in the series, although Khloé was not eager to revisit that chapter of her life. "I wish I never had to talk about that because it's not a fun thing to talk about," she told Variety while discussing the scandal. Ultimately, the reality star did not want to omit the controversy from the series. "But it is part of my journey in life, so we will see it on the show," she added.
Tristan took to Instagram on January 3 to issue a statement after it was officially confirmed that Maralee Nichols's child was his. "I sincerely apologize to everyone I've hurt or disappointed throughout this ordeal both publicly and privately," the Chicago Bulls big man wrote on his Instagram Stories (via USA Today). He also included a public apology for Khloé for not only cheating on her, but also fathering a child with another woman while they were together. "You don't deserve the heartache and humiliation I have caused you," Tristan wrote. "I have the utmost respect and love for you. Regardless of what you may think," he added.
Despite the tumultuous relationship, Khloé and Tristan remained dedicated to co-parenting. "It's all about raising True so that she sees a mother and a father who truly love her," an insider told In Touch Weekly on February 18.