A History of Gavin Newsom and Kimberly Guilfoyle's Relationship

Though it might seem hard to believe now, there was a time when Democratic politician Gavin Newsom and Trump supporter Kimberly Guilfoyle were a married couple.

Despite the fact they broke up years ago, they're both back in the news after Guilfoyle recently ripped into her ex-husband, suggesting he "ain't making it to the White House."

Speculation is rife that Governor of California Newsom is eyeing a run for the presidency, but sitting president Joe Biden stands in his way.

To understand the context behind Guilfoyle's comments about her ex, here's Newsweek's summary of the relationship timeline between the two.

How Gavin Newsom and Kimberly Guilfoyle met

The pair both held prominent jobs in San Francisco before they married each other.

Guilfoyle was born and raised in the San Francisco area. She was educated in the city and gained her Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 1994. She then briefly worked as a prosecutor, before going on to work as a deputy district attorney in Los Angeles, but she moved back to San Francisco in 2000 when she was rehired by the San Francisco District Attorney's Office.

Newsom was also born in San Francisco where he was educated just outside of the city. After funding, he and a group of investors started the PlumpJack Winery in 1992, but he eventually left the company in 2004. He got involved in politics when he volunteered for Willie Brown's successful campaign for mayor in 1995. He was then appointed as the youngest member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

There is little information available revealing how the pair actually met for the first time. Their divorce statement (spoiler) suggests they started dating around 1995. Many profiles written about the pair's relationship begin on the day of their wedding.

When Gavin Newsom and Kimberly Guilfoyle Got Married

Guilfoyle and Newsom tied the knot in December 2001 at the Saint Ignatius Catholic Church, which is located on the University of San Francisco campus. The wedding was called the "social event of the year" by the San Francisco Chronicle, which hailed them as the "next liberal power couple," according to Slate.

When they got married, she worked in the city district attorney's office and he was on the city's board of supervisors. Guilfoyle later quit her job to work on Newsom' mayoral campaign in 2003. He won that campaign and became one of San Francisco's youngest mayors at the age of 36.

Together they featured in the September 2004 issue of Harper's Bazaar where they were called "the New Kennedys."

Guilfoyle often worked as a commentator on television news stations and hosted the show Both Sides on Court TV, and appeared as a legal analyst on Anderson Cooper 360°

Gavin Newsom and Kimberly Guilfoyle's divorce

In January 2005, just over three years after they got married, Guilfoyle and Newsom jointly filed for divorce.

"it's official—San Francisco's Camelot couple are splitting up," SFGate wrote at the time.

"Unfortunately, the demands of our respective careers have made it too difficult for us to continue as a married couple," the pair said in a statement at the time. "Over the past 10 years, we have developed a tremendous bond of love and respect for each other. That will never change. We will remain close friends. We ask for your understanding and consideration during this difficult time."

Previous comments from the pair suggested that their relationship was strained as a result of living and working on different coasts in the United States.

"This living on different sides of the continent has taken a huge toll personally. The transcontinental marriage is tough," Newsom told the San Francisco Chronicle in December 2004, "The only godsend is that we don't have kids. You give up your life in the traditional sense."

Their divorce was finalized on February 28, 2006.

Life After Marriage

Guilfoyle and Newsom's lives have gone down very different paths since they separated in the mid-2000s.

Career-wise, Newsom's political aspirations went further than the mayor's office. He served as the 42nd mayor of San Francisco from 2004-2011, before becoming the 49th lieutenant governor of California for eight years. In 2019, he assumed the office of governor of California, a position he still holds.

Guilfoyle went on to enhance her TV career and worked at Fox News from 2006 to 2018. She co-hosted The Lineup, The Five and Outnumbered on the network, as well as making several appearances on other news shows. She left Fox in 2018 and began working for a Trump super PAC.

After their marriage, Newsom started dating actress and filmmaker Jennifer Siebel in October 2006. They announced their engagement in January 2008 before getting married later that July. They've now been married over 14 years.

Guilfoyle got remarried even sooner than Newsom did, wedding businessman Eric Villency in May 2006, though they got divorced in November 2009. They had one son together, Ronan Anthony, born on October 4, 2006.

In June 2018 it was revealed that Guilfoyle was dating President Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr. who was also going through a divorce at the time. They now live in Florida together and they got engaged on December 31, 2020, though this was not made public until January 2022.