Kimberly Guilfoyle out at Fox News, hints at marrying Donald Trump Jr.
Guilfoyle has been at Fox News for more than a decade, but flirted with the idea of joining the Trump administration.
Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle, who has spent more than a decade hosting shows like Outnumbered and The Five, is no longer with the network, a spokeswoman confirmed Friday afternoon.
"Fox News has parted ways with Kimberly Guilfoyle," a Fox News spokeswoman said in a statement. Guilfoyle was not given the opportunity to say goodbye on Friday's The Five, replaced instead by fill-in host Katie Pavlich.
It's unclear if Guilfoyle's romantic relationship with President Trump's oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., factored into her exit from the network.
The Huffington Post's Yashar Ali reported on Friday that Guilfoyle wasn't leaving Fox News voluntarily, and Vanity Fair's Gabriel Sherman, who was first to report the news of Guilfoyle's departure Friday morning, reported that management at the network was not at all upset over the move. Brian Stelter, the host of CNN's Reliable Sources, wrote on Twitter there were "real ethical concerns" within Fox News about Guilfoyle's relationship with Trump Jr.
Guilfoyle has also been criticized for her role in defending former chairman Roger Ailes after he was accused of sexual assault by several ex-Fox News employees, including former Fox & Friends host Gretchen Carlson. Guilfoyle was named in a lawsuit filed by New Jersey political strategist Julie Roginsky, a former Fox News contributor, who claimed Guilfoyle pressured her to publicly criticize Carlson and defend Ailes. Fox News settled Roginsky's lawsuit in December.
Guilfoyle could end up taking a position with the pro-Trump super PAC America First Action, according to ABC News. America First Action has spent millions of dollars on attack ads against Democrats who don't support the president's agenda. According to Open Secrets, the super PAC spent more than $1.1 million against Rep. Conor Lamb in his upset special-election win in western Pennsylvania against Republican opponent Rick Saccone, an outspoken Trump supporter.
"Having Kim Guilfoyle on the trail campaigning with Donald Trump Jr. for Republicans this fall is a win for the entire GOP," Andrew Surabian, a spokesman for Trump Jr., said in a statement. "Kim is one of the most influential voices in the MAGA movement and knows how to light up a crowd."
As president-elect in 2016, Trump reportedly considered adding Guilfoyle to his administration as White House press secretary, a role that ultimately went to Sean Spicer. After Spicer's resignation in 2017, Trump was again reported to be considering her for the role, but she ultimately decided to remain with the network.
"I'm a patriot, and it would be an honor to serve the country," Guilfoyle told the Mercury News in a 2017 interview. "I think it'd be a fascinating job. It's a challenging job, and you need someone really determined and focused, a great communicator in there with deep knowledge to be able to handle that position."
Guilfoyle has reportedly been dating Trump Jr. since May, just two months after his wife Vanessa filed for divorce after 12 years of marriage. Guilfoyle and Trump Jr. have since confirmed their relationship publicly, and the pair have practically been inseparable on Instagram.
Guilfoyle even hinted on Breitbart Radio earlier this month that she could end up marrying Trump Jr., noting that she "finally got it right this time" after failed marriages to California lieutenant governor Gavin Newsom (who is running for governor) and businessman Eric Villency. She was also previously romantically linked to Anthony Scaramucci, a hedge fund investor who served as the Trump administration's White House communications director for 10 days.
Guilfoyle also said she could see Trump Jr. following his father's footsteps and one day becoming president.
"He has a compelling political voice, he is incredibly bright. I have seen him at these different rallies," Guilfoyle said on Breitbart Radio. "He gets out there and actually talks to the real people, the men and women who have been left behind in this country."