Amy Duggar Faces Backlash After Posting Private Message From an Unnamed Duggar Family Member
Three months after Amy Duggar King dropped a tell-all book detailing her experience growing up in and around the Duggar family, the niece of Jim Bob Duggar is catching flak for continuing to share her family’s drama with the public. As TLC fans may remember, Amy used to have a close relationship to her uncle and his large family and made multiple appearances on their reality series 19 Kids and Counting years ago. In recent years, however, Amy has distanced herself from most of the Duggars and has frequently spoken out about some of her family’s controversies, including calling out those who’ve continued to support her cousin Josh Duggar, who was sentenced in 2022 for receiving child s-x ab-se materials (CSAM).
On Thursday, Amy continued to speak out about her estrangement from certain Duggars by posting a screenshot of an alleged text exchange between her and an unnamed family member who appeared to be reaching out to Amy regarding her estrangement from another relative.
“I have [a] ton of pictures of u and him having fun laughing etc. I pray u can think on good things and good times,” the person wrote to Amy, who fired back with a reminder of the boundaries she’s set with her family. “Oh I remember the good times. Clearly,” Amy replied. “But the bad does not take away from the fact of the wrong. I can’t have someone in my life who refuses to take accountability. Who has gaslighted me and has made me fear for my life. I’m breaking that cycle in my own life so my son does not have to grow up in fear.”
The unnamed family member went on to tell Amy that what she’s doing is “all wrong,” but that they believe she will eventually see that it “should not be this way.” “So u are never connected back with us ??” Amy’s relative added– a remark that Amy pointed out to followers was “an example of classic gaslighting,” while noting that the family member who sent her the texts “clearly” hadn’t read her 2025 memoir, Holy Disruptor.
In the caption of her post, Amy claimed that she was told by a family member that she is “troublesome” for sharing her story and that she had misremembered the experiences she wrote about in her book. Amy said that while those words would have sent her “spiraling” years ago, healing has taught her that “truth doesn’t become trouble just because it makes someone uncomfortable.”
She then went on to break down the text conversation line-by-line in an effort to “show how manipulation can sound calm, spiritual, or ‘concerned,’ while quietly asking you to betray yourself.”
While Amy didn’t reveal which one of her family members had sent her the triggering texts, many in the comments suspected the texts had come from either Jim Bob or his wife, Michelle.
Amy’s post also received an onslaught of comments from followers criticizing her for sharing the private text exchange on social media, with one person accusing Amy of “lowering” herself by giving the situation her attention.
“ … you need to learn to turn the other ear,” the person wrote, with another telling Amy that posts of this nature only create gossip and drama. “People in the comments are already trying to guess who it was who said this.. and that’s just bad-mouthing certain people without even knowing who it is. “Frankly, this is nobody’s business except you and this person’s,” they continued. “It’s YOUR family dynamics/relationships… but posting this is quite messy if you ask me… .”
Amy also received flak in the comments for making money off of a book written about her relatives, with one person encouraging her to “move onward from the Duggar drama.”
Meanwhile, others suggested that Amy attempt to resolve the issues with her family in person, rather than continuing to share their discourse publicly. “A member of your family should not have to read your book to know what is up!” one comment read. “Have a conversation. Everyone deserves respect, you AND them. Stop posting on social media and meet for coffee.” “Same thing I said!” another added. “This grabbing for more attention is honestly ridiculous.”
As of press time, Amy has not revealed which of her family members sent her the texts. While doing press for her book in recent months, Amy has stated that she hasn’t spoken to most of her Duggar cousins— or Jim Bob and Michelle— in years. In October, while doing an interview with The Viall Files podcast, Amy told hosts Nick Viall and Natalie Joy that she believes the 19 Kids & Counting patriarch is a liar, a possible criminal and basically a monster. “I definitely think that he knows that he’s done wrong,” Amy said of Jim Bob. “I do think that. How could you not? How could you sleep at night knowing all the lies you’ve told?”
