Kylie Kelce on Thursday pushed back against criticism that she did not immediately congratulate her brother-in-law Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift after the couple announced their engagement.
On the latest episode of her podcast "Not Gonna Lie," the 33-year-old said she had recorded the show before the engagement announcement was posted on Aug. 26 and reiterated a long-standing decision to avoid discussing Swift and Travis Kelce on the program. "I don't need to come out here and make statements," she said, adding that she communicates with family members privately.
Kelce told listeners she noticed "a bunch of comments" calling her out for not congratulating the couple sooner but said that because she has a personal relationship with them "no one else is involved in," public remarks are unnecessary. "I can just text and talk to them," she said. "Our relationship is private between us, so it's OK that time made it so that we didn't congratulate them in the last episode and also that I don't always have to comment on what they're doing in their lives."
She added that it "goes without being said" that she is "so incredibly happy for" Swift and Travis Kelce, who have been publicly linked since the summer of 2023. Kelce said she and her family are "so excited that they are taking this next step," noting that her four children are "thrilled" to gain another aunt.
Kelce previously addressed the engagement during an appearance on "Good Morning America," telling hosts that her children — Wyatt, 5; Elliotte, 4; Bennett, 2; and Finn, 5 months — were excited by the news. Jason Kelce, Kylie Kelce's husband and Travis Kelce's brother, celebrated the proposal on his podcast "New Heights," calling it the "proposal heard around the world" and exclaiming, "F—k yeah!"
The comments come amid intense fan attention surrounding Swift and Travis Kelce after the couple revealed their engagement. Kylie Kelce emphasized that the family's private connections mean public commentary is neither necessary nor expected from her podcast. She said she deliberately avoids making the pair a focus of her show and prefers to manage family milestones within the family.
Kylie Kelce's response underscores a broader tension between celebrity fandom and private family relationships when high-profile figures enter a family circle. The couple's engagement drew widespread media coverage and social media reaction when photos and confirmation were posted in late August, placing relatives of the couple in the spotlight.
In defending her silence, Kelce reiterated that she has spoken to the couple personally and that her support does not require repeated public statements. She concluded by expressing genuine happiness for Swift and Travis Kelce and gratitude at welcoming Swift into the family in a more official capacity.
