early January 2026, Ashley Tisdale sparked a major social media firestorm after publishing a candid essay in The Cut titled “Breaking Up With My Toxic Mom Group.” While Tisdale used her married name, Ashley Tisdale French, and kept the subjects anonymous, the internet quickly linked the story to her famous circle of friends.
The Original Allegations
Tisdale described a group of mothers who bonded during the pandemic but eventually turned “toxic.” Her main complaints included:
- “Mean Girl” Behavior: She compared the group dynamic to high school, alleging that members would talk about each other behind their backs.
- Systematic Exclusion: Tisdale realized she was being “iced out” when she saw photos of group hangouts on Instagram that she wasn’t invited to.
- The Breaking Point: She claimed the group once planned a gathering on the same day as her daughter’s birthday. She eventually ended the friendships via a group text, stating, “This is too high school for me.”
The “Famous” Suspects
Internet sleuths immediately pointed to Tisdale’s well-documented friend group, which famously includes:
- Hilary Duff
- Mandy Moore
- Meghan Trainor
- Gaby Dalkin (Food Blogger)
Fans noted that Tisdale had unfollowed Duff and Moore on Instagram, though she still followed Meghan Trainor as of early January.
The “Savage” Responses
While the moms themselves mostly remained silent, the drama escalated through their families and social media:
- Matthew Koma (Hilary Duff’s Husband): He posted a satirical photo of himself on a fake cover of The Cut with the headline: “When You’re The Most Self-Obsessed Tone-Deaf Person On Earth, Other Moms Tend To Shift Focus To Their Actual Toddlers.”
- Haylie Duff: Hilary’s sister (who is reportedly estranged from Hilary) fueled the fire by “liking” Tisdale’s Instagram post about the essay, signaling she might be “Team Ashley.”
- Meghan Trainor: She posted a playful TikTok of herself typing at a computer with the caption: “Me finding out about the apparent mom group drama,” set to her song “Still Don’t Care.”
- Mandy Moore: She indirectly sided with the group by praising Matthew Koma on Instagram for his “generosity” in helping her family during the 2025 L.A. wildfires.
The “Misalignment of Values”
Sources close to the group told People and ELLE that the fallout wasn’t about “bullying” but a “misalignment of values.” Specifically, during the 2025 L.A. wildfires, Tisdale allegedly failed to check in on her friends who were evacuating their homes, which led the group to distance themselves from her.
Despite the intense speculation, a representative for Ashley Tisdale told TMZ that the essay was about a “completely different group” and not the famous women named by the public
