The Unexpected Career Path Kimberly Guilfoyle Dabbled In Before Politics

Kimberly Guilfoyle's stunning transformation from a district attorney into an outspoken political commentator started with a vicious dog mauling, which occurred in January 2001. Guilfoyle was part of a team of prosecutors determined to put two defendants in jail for their acts of gross negligence that ultimately led to their dog killing an innocent victim. Rather than charging the major defendant solely with negligence or manslaughter, though, Guilfoyle and the team made a bold case for second-degree murder. Interestingly, the attorney's personal life was just as active as her professional one. A few weeks before the trial, she tied the knot with Gavin Newsom, a fast-rising and popular Democratic politician, who was well on his way to being mayor. Guilfoyle went on to win the case before becoming the first lady-elect of the city of San Francisco, after Newsom won the election in 2003. 

Now one prominent half of a power couple, she began to receive a ton of offers for work as a legal analyst. Guilfoyle told The Daily Signal in 2018 that she received requests from Court TV, MSNBC, ABC News, Fox News, and CNN. Somewhat unexpectedly, the attorney also received an offer from Hollywood more generally. Guilfoyle played a lawyer in "Happily Even After," a rom-com that was featured at the 2004 Tribeca Film Festival. But despite dipping her toe into acting, Guilfoyle's talents evidently lay elsewhere albeit still onscreen.

Kimberly Guilfoyle relocated to New York in 2004, just days after her husband officially became mayor. She never acted again but instead the ambitious go-getter threw herself into her job as a legal analyst for Court TV, CNN, Fox News, and "Good Morning America." Unfortunately, Guilfoyle and Gavin Newsom's relationship had already begun to show cracks, partly influencing her decision to move across the country. At first, Guilfoyle traveled back to San Francisco every weekend, but the couple eventually separated in 2005 and finalized their divorce in 2006. That same year, she became a permanent employee of Fox News and married her second husband, businessman Eric Villency. But Guilfoyle's relationship with Fox outlasted her marriage, which ended just three years later, in 2009. 

For over a decade, Guilfoyle worked steadily at Fox until she abruptly resigned her high-profile position in 2018. Since this coincided with Guilfoyle and Donald Trump Jr. going public with their romance, America's interest was piqued. Eventually, the truth about Guilfoyle's departure from Fox News was revealed when HuffPost discovered that she had actually been forced to leave after being accused of sexual misconduct by her former assistant, who ultimately received a multimillion dollar settlement without going to court.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). 

Kimberly Guilfoyle's support for Donald Trump can be traced all the way back to 2016, when he was just an unlikely presidential candidate. She interviewed him on Fox News, openly supporting the controversial politician's campaign and agreeing with his staunchly anti-Democrat takes (via YouTube). And, when Trump won the election, Guilfoyle was even briefly considered for the role of press secretary but she opted to continue working with Fox instead. However, following the TV personality's abrupt 2018 departure from the network, Guilfoyle took jobs with several MAGA-adjacent, pro-Trump Political Action Committees. 

She remained a vocal supporter throughout his tenure and when Trump lost the election in 2020, Guilfoyle smoothly morphed into one of his greatest defenders. This was also notably the year that Guilfoyle and Don Jr. got engaged. In 2021, she received a whopping $60,000 fee to give a speech that lasted just three minutes at the "Stop the Steal" rally, which resulted in the deadly Capitol riot (via Vanity Fair). The former district attorney is now a popular face in Trump's 2024 presidential re-election campaign. Considering his preference for hiring within the family, Guilfoyle might be given a plum White House job if he wins.