Derick Dillard Sets the Record Straight After He's Accused of 'Mingling' With Jim Bob Duggar at Christmas Amid Estrangement: 'I Do Not Respect Him'

Derick Dillard made it clear his relationship with Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar is still strained after he was photographed chatting with the Duggar patriarch over the holidays.

In response to a People story that said he was "mingling" with his father-in-law, Derick clarified in the comments section that it was a very short conversation at a large family event.

"Just so people know, Jim Bob approached me while we were there on Christmas Day for about 5 minutes, and I do not respect him," he wrote. "I don’t think that is considered ‘mingling.’"

Derick, who is married to Jill Duggar Dillard, added it wasn't a "typical intimate family gathering" as there were over 100 people at the 8,000 square foot home, including someone playing "Santa Claus".

"I have spoken with him less than 10 minutes since the last time we were at that house, which was over a year ago," he continued. "We’re trying to be civil for the sake of our family, but that doesn’t mean everything is all hunky dorey, and it sure doesn’t mean that I’m not going to comment when people try to warp reality for their own purposes."

As OK! previously reported, Jill revealed the last time that she saw her father was for a "wedding or birthday thing" around the time her youngest son was born in July 2022.

Elsewhere in the podcast appearance, which aired in January 2024, the mother-of-three — who shares sons Israel, Samuel and Frederick with Derick — also revealed her parents were aware of what she'd said about her years-long strained relationships with them in her recent memoir, Counting the Cost.

"I heard they listened to it on audiobook or something. I don’t know. They’re my parents and I’m gonna tread lightly," she explained, noting that she hadn't outright asked them if they'd read the tell-all. "It’s kind of like when you get together at the holidays, and there are just certain things that you don’t just want to bring up."

In a 2023 interview, Jill explained she mostly only sees her dad "at weddings, funerals, and then sometimes a few other events here and there."

"We really don’t have a whole lot of conversations at this point in our relationship with my family about the whole family drama situation," she continued. "We feel like we have kind of just had to make our own decisions and realize that you can’t change people."