Khloé Kardashian and Tristan Thompson were first linked together in 2016, and have had many ups and downs during the past six years. In that time, they had two children together, a four-year-old daughter named True Thompson and a boy born via surrogate in summer 2022. His name has not yet been revealed publicly.
Relationship status-wise, Kardashian and Thompson are off for now but have been on-off romantically throughout their history.
If you’ve found their relationship confusing, this timeline of their big moments together might help to keep everything straight.
August 2016
Khloé and Tristan were first spotted together leaving LA’s Bootsy Bellows nightclub in the summer of 2016. Khloé later explained that they were set up on a surprise blind date by their mutual friend Brandon Jennings.
“I was at the Bel-Air hotel. [Tristan] came to the dinner because I didn’t want to go on a blind date, so Brandon kind of ambushed the blind date,” she said. “So, I had a bunch of people, and he brought him, and we just connected.”
September 2016
A month later, Khloé and Tristan headed to Mexico for a couple’s getaway and were photographed holding hands in Miami that same month, eventually attending Flo Rida’s birthday party at LIV together.
October 2016
In October, the couple coordinated their costumes for Halloween, going as Marvel’s Storm and the Black Panther.
November 2016
By November of that year, Khloé was living part-time in Cleveland to be close to Tristan, which she raved about during an interview with Jimmy Kimmel.
“I live [in Los Angeles], but I’m [in Cleveland] very often,” she said. “I actually really do [like being in Cleveland]. I actually really like it. I like just having my routine and being a little more under the radar. It’s nice.”
December 2016
In December, Khloé shared a photo of herself and Tristan in matching camouflage coats, embracing in a hallway. She captioned the photo, “Him,” adding a heart emoji.
January 2017
The couple celebrated the new year together, kissing at midnight and sharing the pics on Instagram.
March 2017
By 2017, Tristan was showing up in episodes of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. During his first appearance, he was at Khloé’s side when she headed to a Kanye West concert to meet the family, annoying her sister Kim Kardashian.
April 2017
In an interview with Es Magazine, Khloé said she had “never been in this type of love.”
“I would love to have a family. We’ve talked about it … I know for a fact that he would be an impeccable father,” she said. “I definitely want to be a mom. But I don’t put the pressure on it. It’s not like, ‘The clock is ticking.’ I feel in my soul it will happen.”
June 2017
In June, Khloé posted more kissing pics with Tristan, calling him her “king.”
August 2017
She went with a kissing pic again to celebrate their one year anniversary.
December 2017
The couple announced that they were expecting in late 2017.
“My greatest dream realized!” Khloé wrote on Instagram. “We are having a baby! I had been waiting and wondering but God had a plan all along. He knew what He was doing. I simply had to trust in Him and be patient. I still at times can’t believe that our love created life! Tristan, thank you for loving me the way that you do! Thank you for treating me like a Queen! Thank you for making me feel beautiful at all stages! Tristan, most of all, Thank you for making me a MOMMY!!!”
She continued, “You have made this experience even more magical than I could have envisioned! I will never forget how wonderful you’ve been to me during this time! Thank you for making me so happy my love! Thank you to everyone for the love and positive vibes! I know we’ve been keeping this quiet but we wanted to enjoy this between our family and close friends as long as we could privately. To enjoy our first precious moments just us. Thank you all for understanding. I am so thankful, excited, nervous, eager, overjoyed and scared all in one! But it’s the best bundle of feelings I’ve ever felt in my life!”
January 2018
To celebrate the beginning of another new year together, Khloé posted a picture of her and Tristan captioned “mom and dad.”
February 2018
The couple had a huge Valentine’s Day celebration together just months before the birth of True.
April 2018
On April 12, 2018, True was born, but the huge event was somewhat overshadowed by videos of Tristan appearing on TMZ and the Daily Mail, showing him being intimate with another woman. The story broke just before True’s birth, and Page Six identified the woman Tristan was seen kissing at PH-D Lounge in NYC as 28-year-old model Lani Blair.
Blair was reportedly seen at his NBA team’s hotel, the Four Seasons, and spent “four hours” there before they headed to Soho House together, then returned to the hotel around 5 A.M. the next morning.
Witnesses told Page Six that Thompson was “looking around cautiously…and holding the door for her” at the hotel. Blair was later seen leaving on Monday night 8 P.M. with a Louis Vuitton overnight bag.
Shortly after The Mail‘s story was released, TMZ produced another video dated from back in October, of Thompson with two other women.
May 2018
The next month, it was reported that Khloé and Tristan were trying to work things out. The new parents were spotted at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland as Tristan’s team the Cavaliers played against the Toronto Raptors, TMZ reported.
They were also spotted having lunch at TownHall restaurant in Cleveland.
People reported Tristan and Khloé were together again in the house, with a source saying, “Khloé seems happy. She loves being a mom. She’s focused on keeping her family together. She seems okay with Tristan—there’s no talk of a split.”
“When she wants something to work, she will make it work,” the source explained. “Her family’s issue with Tristan is that they think he won’t change. But Khloé isn’t listening to this. She has been very firm with Tristan, and she believes he wants to keep his family together as well.”
June 2018
Khloé commented for the first time on Twitter about her relationship in response to a fan wondering why she didn’t leave “that wasteman Tristan.” The fan wrote, “She preaches about women knowing their self worth and when to walk away, but when it’s time to walk the walk, she’s a hypocrite.”
Kardashian responded directly to the fan, tweeting, “Not exactly Queen Persia, you have no knowledge of what goes on in our household or the enormous rebuilding this takes to even coexist. I’m proud of my strength. I appreciate your opinion and I hope you hold that same opinion to everyone else who has stayed in situations.”
July 2018
Things apparently were rocky, with an insider telling People and Us Weekly that Khloé and Tristan were together but growing apart.
“Khloé and Tristan are still not fully okay,” Us’ source said. “They act like they are when they’re in front of others, but it’s all a show at this point.”
A second source told Us that Tristan was unhappy.
“Tristan is feeling trapped in a bad relationship. He’s no longer going with Khloé for [couple’s therapy] sessions. He just didn’t feel it was helping to discuss sh-t that happened months ago.”
Khloé was frustrated too, according to the source.
“Khloé carried his child and is much more in the limelight than he is, and she doesn’t think he understands the consequences of his decisions,” the source explained. “She thinks the cheating scandal is a way bigger deal than he does, and he doesn’t fully understand the repercussions of his actions affecting not only him and Khloé but the entire family as a whole.”
She was particularly sensitive because her ex-husband Lamar Odom was guilty of the same transgression. A source told People that Tristan was having trouble adjusting to being in the limelight.
“When he got with Khloé, he tried to adapt to the best of his ability, but he struggled with being part of such a high-profile family and crossed lines he shouldn’t have,” People‘s source said. “He wasn’t expecting such major backlash from the public and it’s been a lot for him to handle.”
November 2018
Khloé spent Thanksgiving in Cleveland with Tristan and True, away from her family. Fans were suspicious that the Kardashians and Jenner don’t want him around.
She responded to that by tweeting, “Y’all are reaching now. I’ve spent the past 3 years in Cleveland for Thanksgiving. Not sure why people are trying to create drama between my family and I. My sisters and I are perfectly fine thank you! All of their families were able to travel but TT being in season, he can not.”
She later added, “The truth is never as fun as some story some of you like to create. So here we goooooooooooo!! Happy Thanksgiving I guess lol.”
February 2019
TMZ reports that the couple had split over allegations that Tristan was seen kissing Jordyn Woods, Kylie Jenner’s best friend at the time, just after spending Valentine’s Day with Khloé.
The basketball star was reportedly seen “snuggling up” and “making out” with Jordyn Woods at a house party, and when Khloé found out, the source said, “she has had enough.”
“FAKE NEWS,” Tristan initially tweeted just after the news broke.
The week before, E! reported that though they were technically together, it didn’t necessarily look good.
“She chooses not to worry about it or to classify their relationship anymore,” E!‘s source explained, saying Khloé was mostly in Los Angeles while Tristan toured with his team, and that she is “very happy with things the way they are and feels very fulfilled. She doesn’t need to think about what’s up with Tristan or what he’s doing out on the road like she used to.”
Later that month, Woods appeared on Red Table Talk episode with Jada Pinkett Smith for Facebook Watch, where she described her encounter with him. She said, “But, on the way out [of Tristan’s house] he did kiss me. No passion, no nothing. On the way out he just kissed me. It was a kiss on the lips. No tongue kiss, no making out. Nothing. I don’t think he’s wrong either, because I allowed myself to be in this position.”
She continued, “I didn’t know how to feel. I was like, ‘That didn’t just happen,’ because I was leaving already so I walked out immediately after. And I got in the car and was like, ‘No, that didn’t happen,’ I [told him] I need to go. I was in shock.”
March 2019
Khloé tweeted out that she did not blame Woods the way she blamed Tristan for what happened.
“Tristan is equally to blame but Tristan is the father of my child…Regardless of what he does to me I won’t do that to my daughter. He has been addressing this situation PRIVATELY. If Tristan were to lie publicly about what conspired, then yes I would address him publicly as well…This has been an awful week & I know everyone is sick of hearing about it all (as am I). I’m a rollercoaster of emotions & have said things I shouldn’t have. Honestly, Tristan cheating on me & humiliating me, wasn’t such a shock as the first time…What’s been harder & more painful is being hurt by someone so close to me. Someone whom I love & treat like a little sister. But Jordyn is not to be blamed for the breakup of my family. This was Tristan’s fault…I have to move on with my life & count my blessings, my family, my health, & my beautiful baby True.”
May 2019
People interviewed a source who said that Khloé is “great.”
“Her heartbreak seems to have passed and her mood is much lighter,” they continued. “Although she really wanted Tristan to come around, grow up and be a man, she seems to have realized that she’s much better off now. Everyone is happy to see her happier.”
They added, “Khloé isn’t dating, but at least she’s able to talk and joke about dating. She realizes with True around now, she just needs to be super picky. True [Kardashian’s daughter with Thompson] will always be Khloé’s life and number one. Khloé is obsessed with her little girl. She really is the most wonderful mom.”
August 2019
Tristan spoke out against rumors that his relationship with Khloé overlapped with his and ex-girlfriend Jordan Craig’s relationship. Craig was pregnant with the couple’s child Prince when he first started seeing Khloé.
“When I met Khloe I was SINGLE,” he wrote on Twitter. “The negative comments that are constantly being directed towards her are unnecessary. She does not deserve all this backlash for my wrong doings. Both Khloè and Jordan have been nothing but great mothers to my kids.”
September 2019
During a radio interview with Ryan Seacrest, Khloe stated that she doesn’t hold a grudge against her ex or Jordyn Woods.
“I’m not someone who holds a grudge. If I do that it’s only going to affect me,” she said. “That chapter is closed for me. I want all of us to move on and to be happy, successful people. I just want everyone to just be better people with each day. That’s genuinely how I feel.”
She added, “I know everybody makes mistakes. I think it’s how you handle it, and I think apologies need to be as loud as your disrespect was or to me, it’s not sincere. I’m forgiving. I’m forgiven.”
“We’re all human beings and we’re all figuring out life,” she said. “Stuff happens and people make mistakes, and as long as it doesn’t define who they are—as long as they don’t make those choices define them and they try to evolve and become better people—we’re all gonna survive. We all learn from it.”
July 2020
In July of the following year after spending some time in lockdown together, it was rumored by People that the former couple was “giving their relationship another try. Tristan is working hard to prove himself and has been a great dad to True.”
A second source said they “acted like [they] were back together” during her birthday that summer, and he wrote a glowing tribute to her on social media.
“I’m wise enough now to know, you came into my life to show me just what it means to be an incredible person,” he stated. “I appreciate how I am able to learn from and grow because of you. I thank God for the beautiful and loving woman you are to everyone, especially our daughter True. You deserve the world Koko! True and I love you mama. Happy Birthday @khloekardashian ❤️🥳”
February 2021
By February 2021, the pair were supposedly back in a committed relationship, and a source told Entertainment Tonight, “Khloé forgives Tristan at this point, but she will never forget. They are back to being committed, are still in love and giving their relationship another chance and hoping that it will succeed this time around. Tristan has been paying extra attention to Khloe and True and has been calling, FaceTiming, texting and sending photos all the time to check in when they are not physically together. He hasn’t been going out late at night with the boys or other girls.”
March 2021
A month later, they went Instagram official for a second time, with Khloé wishing him a happy 30th birthday today on Instagram.
She wrote to her boyfriend, “The ones that are meant to be are the ones who go through everything that is designed to tear them apart and they come out even stronger than they were before. Thank you for showing me everything you said you would. For the father you are. For the best friend I have in you. I’m thankful that I can do absolutely nothing with you and it feels like everything. I hope you know today and everyday how loved you are by me and so many. Happy birthday TT! Welcome to 30! I can’t wait for all of the memories. This is when life just starts getting good!”
June 2021
Tristan was spotted entering a bedroom with three women at a party, and a source told Daily Mail that “Tristan took off into one of the party rooms where everyone goes to hook up” with the trio and another man. “They stayed in the room behind closed doors for at least 30 minutes. When he arrived, his shirt looked all pressed and when he came out his shirt was a mess, he looked disheveled.”
A source spoke to E!, who said, “They had been working through the cheating rumors for the last couple of weeks, but Khloé told Tristan he lost all of her trust and the relationship could not be repaired. Khloé really tried, but ultimately, felt too betrayed by him. She’s done and says she will not go back.”
They added, “They have been co-parenting and have seen each other several times in the last week with True, but are not romantically together.”
July 2021
They continued to co-parent, with a source saying, “Khloé is doing okay. True will always be her first priority, and, ultimately, she’s focused on a healthy family for her daughter, so Tristan will always be a part of Khloé’s life.”
They added, “She’s not one to dwell on the past—she has an incredible capacity to find the positive in every situation. And she and Tristan are still very much in touch and are great co-parents to True.”
August 2021
InTouch reported that they have reconciled once more, but Khloé denied it.
The Mirror shared InTouch‘s report and a Twitter user retweeted the story, writing at Khloé, “At this point @khloekardashian has no self worth. Anyway…”
She responded, “You’re telling me you made an assessment about my life because of a random blog? I think that says more about you than it does about me.”
December 2021
At some point in the following months, the couple seemingly reconciled again, but kept it very private considering their past. However, news came out that Tristan fathered a child with personal trainer Maralee Nichols, who was suing the basketball player for child support and other pregnancy-related fees.
Nichols alleged in court documents, according to People, that the baby was conceived in March of that year when Tristan and Khoé were still together.
January 2022
Tristan confirmed in an Instagram Story that he was the father of Nichols’ baby, and then publicly apologized to Khloé.
He wrote:
Today, paternity test results reveal I fathered a child with Maralee Nichols. I take full responsibility for my actions. Now that paternity has been established, I look forward to amicably raising our son.
I sincerely apologize for everyone I’ve hurt or disappointed throughout this ordeal both publicly and privately.
Khloé, you don’t deserve this. You don’t deserve the heartache and humiliation I have caused you. You don’t deserve the way I have treated you over the years. My actions certainly have not lined up with the way I view you. I have the utmost respect and love for you. Regardless of what you may think. Again, I am so incredibly sorry.
July 2022
Khloé and Tristan reveal they are expecting a second child together via surrogate, a rep told E! and People.
The rep said, “We can confirm True will have a sibling who was conceived in November. Khloé is incredibly grateful to the extraordinary surrogate for such a beautiful blessing. We’d like to ask for kindness and privacy so that Khloé can focus on her family.”
The baby was allegedly conceived before the Nichols scandal was revealed to Khloé and the public, likely in November 2021.
August 2022
Khloé and Tristan welcomed their second child together via surrogate, People reported, and it’s a baby boy.
September 2022
Buzzfeed and Entertainment Tonight reported that the pair were secretly engaged when the Nichols news broke. She accepted his proposal in February 2021, a month before he cheated with Nichols.
December 2022
Khloé shared photos from her family’s famous annual Christmas party, partially revealing her son’s face for the first time, but not his name. The Kardashians star was wearing a red satin ballgown made custom by Lebanese designer Nicolas Jebran, with True wearing an outfit in a matching red.
January 2023
Tristan’s mother Andrea Thompson unexpectedly passed away on January 5 after having a heart attack. E! reported that Khloé flew to Toronto to support Tristan right after. “Khloe went with him to comfort and help him navigate what will be a very difficult time,” the source said. “She was incredibly close to his mother.”
E!’s source explained that broken up or not, Khloé remains committed to supporting her ex and co-parent. “Like Khloé and the Kardashian family always do, they will come together and support their loved ones in their most difficult time of need,” the source said. “Tristan is the father of Khloe’s kids, and she and her entire family will always be there for him.”
Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner join Khloé and Tristan for the funeral on January 14, E! reported.
Khloé paid tribute to Andrea on her Instagram, writing that she promised to look after Tristan’s younger, teen brother Amari, who suffers from epilepsy.
March 2023
On Friday, March 10, Khloé Kardashian celebrated her best friends Malika and Khadijah Haqq’s 40th birthday in Los Angeles. She was joined by sisters Kim and Kylie and their mom Kris Jenner. She was also joined by her ex. Thompson reportedly arrived two hours after the gals, but he was wearing sparkling silver sneakers that matched Khloé’s silver minidress.
He and Khloé were also seen leaving the event at the same time, around 1 am, though they left through different exits. Khloé exited through the venue’s back door, while Thompson left through the front. His appearance at Khloé’s best friends’ party and in a coordinated ensemble has fans wondering if there’s another reconciliation rumor around the corner.
Khloé later posted a birthday tribute to Thompson on March 13, 2023. She had to disable comments to her disappointment, and a source told Us Weekly on March 14 that the post did not mean they were back together.
In the tribute, Kardashian wrote, “Happy birthday @realtristan13. You are truly the best father, brother & uncle. Your love, attention, silly dances, hugs, carpool rides, bed time rituals, the way u show up for them. All of the above means more than you’ll ever know to your family of littles. My birthday wish for u is that u continue to crave change, healing, and transformation. Be strong, be kind, be patient, be free. Continue to Make your soul and your mommy proud. Happy birthday baby daddy.”
A second source told the outlet a day later that Thompson would like to be with Kardashian again though. “Tristan is always trying to get Khloé back, he still loves her and wants to make it work between them,” the source said. “They’re friends and great coparents, but he wants more.” The source did not address Khloé’s feelings about this.
June 2023
In the June 8 episode of The Kardashians, Kardashian revealed some more details about how she and Thompson are handling their co-parenting duties in a conversation with Kris Jenner, saying boundaries are key.
“Tristan and I, we always get along great,” she said. “Him and I have a great friendship relationship, we get along fine, and for my kids, I will put anything to the side.”
She continued, “What’s done is done, so what would I still be holding on to something for? I don’t need to ‘punish’ him because I’m not getting back with him.”
Jenner agrees that they seem to have figured out a system as co-parents.
“When I’m not around, he’s here,” Kardashian agreed. “I would rather him be here than the nanny.”
She continued, “There’s still boundaries, I’m definitely putting my foot down around a lot of things. No one’s just here chilling if there’s no kids involved.”
In a later confessional, she explained more about why that was necessary.
“These boundaries are so important to put into place with Tristan because we’ve done this song and dance a handful of times already,” she said. “I’ve gotten back with him after a cheating scandal, so I don’t know if Tristan is under the impression, ‘Oh wow, OK, let’s just ride this out and eventually she’ll get back with me.’”
She added, “I get why he would think that, so it’s my job to set boundaries that my actions show otherwise… it’s always about the kids, and that’s what it is. But we’re not just hanging out by ourselves… I keep it very short and sweet and make sure he knows it’s always about the kids because it’s so easy to fall back. I can’t let those old habits easily come into my life. It’s just not what I want.”
October 2023
On the Thursday, October 5, episode of The Kardashians, Khloé and Kim discussed the former’s ongoing support of her ex and his younger brother Amari following the passing of his mother Andrea. In particular, why the two brothers are still living with her while Thompson’s home is being renovated.
“I definitely feel overwhelmed and I guess stressed at times, but I’m not the one going through most of the pain here,” Khloé said in a confessional.
Kim’s perspective was complicated.
“I know you guys are gonna hate me for this, and you’re gonna hate us, and you’re gonna think Khloé’s whatever,” she said. “It’s so crazy because he’s such a good friend and he’s such a good dad, but he just couldn’t get it together in that area of being a faithful boyfriend.”
She continued, “You want to obviously hate him for that. Yeah, of course, his actions and who he was are so f—ed up, I can’t deny that, and we’ve had our talks about it and had our fights about it… but he’s also shown so many decent things and has been a really good person and friend.”
She also said the NBA player is supportive of her kids, too, who she shares with former husband Kanye West. Kim claims that Thompson has stepped into a fatherly role with them and defended her when her ex-husband was being publicly combative.
Later on, Khloé got more specific about why she lets him stay.
“I’m not naïve to fact that my ex-boyfriend is living in my house and that we’re in really sensitive times,” she said. “Tristan is in the very fresh stages of grieving [his mom]…”I never want to be someone that anyone can accuse that I misled them when it comes to love. I think I’m so adamant about that because I’ve been on the receiving end of it and I just don’t think love is something you play with.
She went on, “Tristan has said before [that] I’m his person. I’m not saying I don’t believe him but I’ve heard this, and of course, it’s angered me before because I’m like, ‘If I f—ing am, then why have you treated me like this and how many times?’ I love love, and I am a hopeless romantic, but that’s not gonna change how I feel and what happened.”
She added, “We’re gonna be in each other’s lives for the rest of each other’s lives because of our kids, so I’m not gonna fight that, and I’m gonna make sure it’s as nice as possible for me.”
In another confessional, she called the multiple cheating scandals “traumatic,” but explained how important it is to her to co-parent their children together. She also sympathized with his loss, having lost her own father at a young age. During the episode, Thompson praised Khloé for her “pure and great” soul and she responded in kind.
“You’re a good person at your core, that’s why I was with you,” she said. “Everyone has done dumb s— in their life, just not everyone does it on a public platform, which sucks … all of us, we’re always rooting for you, we always want the best for you. We believe in you as a person… and just remember, you’re not your past.”
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Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com. Her writing has appeared in Jezebel, Glamour, Marie Claire and more. Her first book, The Lonely Hunter, will be released by Dial Press in February 2022.