California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) commented on Saturday, October 17, 2026, regarding the resignation of his former wife, Kimberly Guilfoyle, from her position as U.S. ambassador to Greece. Newsom, who was campaigning for Democratic candidates in New Hampshire at the time, stated to CBS News that he had not spoken with Guilfoyle recently and wished her the best, describing the situation as "unfortunate."
The comment follows a request from the Trump administration for Guilfoyle to step down from her diplomatic post this month. The request was issued after The Wall Street Journal published allegations of improper conduct and misappropriation of funds. Guilfoyle and Newsom were married from 2001 to 2006; she was later romantically linked to Donald Trump Jr. between 2018 and 2024.
Guilfoyle submitted her formal resignation on October 13, 2026. While she complied with the request to leave her post, she issued a statement on the social media platform X denying the claims. She wrote that the allegations are "false" and that she intends to "vigorously defend" her reputation and integrity, citing her decades of public service.
On the same day as her resignation, President Trump addressed the matter with reporters. He stated that while Guilfoyle had been "doing a good job," administration officials "didn't like what we were reading" regarding the allegations. Trump also noted that she was not a member of his family, following questions regarding her previous engagement to his son.
For the general public, the immediate impact is a change in high-level government personnel and the launch of a legal or administrative defense by a former public official. Guilfoyle has stated she will defend herself against allegations of fund misappropriation, a process that will involve an examination of how public money was handled during her tenure. The scale of the alleged misappropriation was not reported in dollar amounts, so it is not yet clear how much taxpayer funding is under scrutiny or how it would break down per household.
The next steps in this matter involve the legal defense promised by Guilfoyle and the potential for further investigations into the allegations first reported by The Wall Street Journal. The Trump administration has not yet announced a timeline for nominating a successor for the ambassadorship in Greece. Guilfoyle's formal departure became effective following her October 13 resignation, and any subsequent legal proceedings or official ethics reviews will be handled through standard government or judicial channels.