Brooke Hogan has responded to online critics who claimed her tribute to late father Hulk Hogan was a “thirst trap”.
Brooke, 38, and the WWE legend had been estranged toward the end of his life. Hulk Hogan died at 71 in July 2025 after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Almost a year after his death, Brooke shared a reflective Instagram post while spending time at the beach, using the setting to honor memories of her dad and the ocean he loved.
“Needed some time with my thoughts, my daddy and the ocean he loved so much. Every wave hit my heart like a memory that felt like it was yesterday.
“The waves carried the bass in his voice, the salt water felt like his hugs. The smell of the ocean smelled like so many days on the boat we spent together.
“I remember him whisking me across the surf like King Triton holding his Little Mermaid… if I could breathe underwater, I’d spend forever under the sea if it meant being that much closer to him.
“The tears were endless today.”
After receiving a wave of negative comments about the post, Brooke returned to Instagram two days later, on May 22, to address the backlash directly.
“Trust me, if I wanted to give you a thirst trap, you would have gotten one. Shame on anyone for demonizing it.”
She continued by calling out those who she felt were judging her grief and her relationship with her father without understanding the reality behind it.
“I am human. My father was human. And you people have the nerve to act like you’re experts on ANY topic or know anything about my experience with him?
“Go back under your bridge, trolls.”
Following her father’s death, Brooke had also spoken out about what she said was misinformation circulating about their family, saying the story of their relationship was being misrepresented and that she wanted to clarify what had happened.
She said that even though they were not speaking, there was never a single explosive incident that caused the distance. Her comments followed claims made by her mother, Linda, Hulk Hogan’s ex-wife, who had said Brooke and her dad had a “huge fight”.
Brooke instead described the situation as a growing “disconnect”, explaining that disagreements had built up over time and became emotionally exhausting.
“During the last two years, I had to step away to protect my heart,” she explained. “My husband stayed open, quietly reaching out to my dad without me knowing, trying to find a safe way back in for me. After my father passed, I read those messages, some answered, some ignored… but all of them broke my heart.”