California Governor Gavin Newsom addressed the dismissal of his former wife, Kimberly Guilfoyle, from her role as U.S. ambassador to Greece during a campaign event in New Hampshire on Saturday, October 17, 2026. When asked for his reaction to the allegations of misconduct involving Guilfoyle, Newsom stated he did not know enough about the situation to comment extensively. He noted that he had not spoken to her recently and wished her the best, describing the situation as "unfortunate."
The response follows Guilfoyle’s removal from her diplomatic post earlier in the week. Her firing was announced on live television on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, by then-White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia. Zacharia was dismissed from the press secretary role five days into her tenure. Guilfoyle had been appointed to the ambassadorship following a period of professional ties to the administration that continued after her 2024 breakup with Donald Trump Jr.
The dismissal followed allegations from Eric Deters, a former congressional candidate from Kentucky. Deters released text messages that he alleged showed Guilfoyle offering access to the Trump family in exchange for the payment of her $100,000 American Express bill. Guilfoyle denied these claims and stated that the messages were doctored. Following Deters' claims, additional reports emerged regarding other alleged cash-for-access schemes.
The situation also highlights the intersection of personal and professional ties within the executive branch. Guilfoyle served as an ambassador after an engagement to Donald Trump Jr., which ended in 2024. The effects include increased scrutiny of the vetting process for diplomatic appointments and potential investigations into the "cash-for-access" claims.
The next steps in this matter have not been fully detailed by the administration. While Guilfoyle has been removed from her post, the source does not report whether formal legal proceedings or specific ethics committee hearings have been scheduled. The status of any internal investigation into the authenticity of the text messages provided by Deters or the additional allegations of misconduct remains not reported. Further updates would likely depend on actions taken by the State Department or the White House regarding the vacant ambassadorial seat in Athens.