Dennis Rodman’s relationship with his daughter, Trinity Rodman, has hit a rough patch, and she’s not holding back. Trinity, who is an Olympic soccer player herself, opened up on the Call Her Daddy podcast about her experience growing up with Dennis and how their relationship took a nosedive after her parents’ divorce in 2012.
According to Trinity, things got tough when Dennis stopped supporting her mom financially after the split. Shockingly, Trinity revealed that she, her brother, and their mom ended up living in a car for a while during her childhood.
Trinity also shared that, as a kid, she tried to protect her dad’s image by keeping his secrets. “He’s not a dad,” she said on the podcast. “Maybe by blood, but nothing else.” She pointed out that, as a child, she needed basic things like a roof over her head and food to eat—things her dad promised to provide when he married her mom. Those promises didn’t just disappear because of a divorce.
She’s right, though. No matter how things ended between the parents, the responsibility to provide for the children doesn’t go away. It’s not about supporting an ex’s lifestyle—it’s about making sure the kids have what they need. Dennis, your role as a father doesn’t end just because a marriage ends. It’s a lifetime commitment.
Trinity, bless her heart, was just so focused on protecting her dad because, as a child, she didn’t realize she could ask for help. She didn’t think, “I need support, but I can’t ask for it because my dad is famous and I have to protect his image.”
Honestly, forget about your dad and the horse he rode in on for abandoning you both.
She says she doesn’t know where he is or what he’s doing—but we all know! He’s out here living his best life with some young Tinder chick.
How can any man just sit comfortably in his warm home, dating other women and doing whatever he wants, while his kids are out there struggling? Or worse, while he doesn’t even know if they’re okay? That’s not what a real man does.
She talked about seeing him in interviews, saying stuff like, “I wish I was a better dad.” Meanwhile, Trinity’s probably sitting there, thinking, “Well, then do something about it! What’s stopping you from being a better dad?”
We all do that sometimes—say we want to change, but don’t follow through. It’s easy to talk about it, but much harder to actually do it.
Trauma can either make you stronger or break you. For Trinity, it’s made her into a hero. She’s been through things no child should ever have to face, but because of it, she’s now an Olympic star.
I’m not saying that’s the only reason, but sometimes overcoming adversity is what fuels you to reach your dreams. Her goal of becoming an Olympic medalist gave her something to hold on to and fight for.
She called her dad selfish—and honestly, that’s putting it mildly. She also acknowledged that he’s dealing with his own demons, from his childhood to the toxic influences he’s faced as an adult. And don’t even get me started on the alcohol. It didn’t do him any favors.
If you don’t know who Dennis Rodman is, just Google him. You’ll get the picture.
And as for Dennis, he says he’s neither gay nor straight, but both. Sir, that’s literally what being bisexual means!
Dennis Rodman really shouldn’t have had kids. He just wasn’t cut out for it. Hopefully, his children can get the help they need to heal from his abandonment so it doesn’t continue to affect them.
Here’s a man with five NBA championships and a ton of money, yet he’s being called a deadbeat. If he really wanted to, he could send money through his accountant without ever seeing his kids. Sure, it’s not ideal, but at least they’d be taken care of.
We live in a world where everyone talks about cutting toxic people out of their lives. And yes, sometimes it’s necessary, but healing and therapy can help you deal with people in healthier ways. You don’t always have to cut people out—sometimes, you just need to learn to manage them. Sure, you could cut someone off, but that often leads to loneliness. I get it—sometimes it’s easier to just be by yourself with Netflix and snacks. Trust me, I enjoy that too. But no one can survive alone forever.
We come from a time when we had to face people. We didn’t hide behind screens. If we had a problem, we spoke up—face-to-face. Sometimes, things got heated, and a fight might break out, but once it was over, it was over. There was no dragging things out.
Now, with social media, it’s like we’ve forgotten how to communicate properly. This whole “cut-off culture” has become too popular. Some therapists even recommend cutting off family members. Instead, I think we should focus on learning how to handle different people in our lives. Successful people don’t cut people off—they know how to manage difficult relationships. Go back and watch Dynasty—those characters knew how to handle situations without burning bridges. Janet Jackson even had a song about it—there’s a way to handle people with grace and still stay true to yourself.
We all need each other. You might not see it now, and you may be thinking, “I’m done with them,” but imagine how much stronger you’d be if you could deal with toxic people without letting them get to you. You can keep your calm, say something like, “I’m sorry to hear that, I wish you well,” and hang up without giving them the attention they crave.
We could all benefit from learning to communicate better. We’re already losing the art of face-to-face conversation. People barely make eye contact anymore, and young people especially seem to struggle with basic manners. But every once in a while, you meet a young person who was raised right—and it makes you feel a little better about the future.
Anyway, just something to think about. If someone feels like they need to cut ties with their dad—like the Rodman kids—that’s their decision. Maybe they need some space for a while to figure things out, or maybe they’ll decide he’s out of their life for good. But at the end of the day, that’s their choice, not mine, and that’s totally fine.
I’m just here to offer a different point of view for you to consider. I honestly think they’d be better off in the long run—more well-rounded and prepared for life—if they could keep lines of communication open with their dad, while still setting strong boundaries.
Boundaries are important. Instead of cutting someone off completely, maybe think about just setting limits. You can put up a wall if you need to, but leave a gate—or a door with a peephole—so you can see who’s on the other side. When you open it, you can say, “Not today, thank you, maybe tomorrow.”
Just think about how much better you’d handle things at work, especially with that one coworker who’s always coughing and never covering her mouth. It could make everything easier in the long run.