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By Anna Commander
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Kathy Ruemmler, former White House counsel to President Barack Obama, announced her resignation from investment bank Goldman Sachs on Thursday amid fallout from emails connecting her and Jeffrey Epstein.
Why It Matters
The resignation underscores how the Epstein files have triggered fallout and leadership shake-ups across business and government, with other high-profile figures stepping down or changing roles in recent weeks as more communications and logs become public.
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What To Know
According to the Associated Press (AP), Ruemmler said in a statement that she would “step down as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of Goldman Sachs as of June 30, 2026.” The news outlet notes that she had described Epstein as an “older brother” and previously downplayed his sex crimes.
Ruemmler said in the statement, according to the AP: “Since I joined Goldman Sachs six years ago, it has been my privilege to help oversee the firm’s legal, reputational, and regulatory matters; to enhance our strong risk management processes; and to ensure that we live by our core value of integrity in everything we do. My responsibility is to put Goldman Sachs’ interests first.”
The AP also reports that Ruemmler received a luxury fur coat and handbags from Epstein during her time in private practice and said, “So lovely and thoughtful! Thank you to Uncle Jeffrey!!!” to Epstein in 2018.
Ruemmler had recently called Epstein a “monster” in recent statements, the AP notes.
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What People Are Saying
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon in a statement, according to the AP: “As one of the most accomplished professionals in her field, Kathy has also been a mentor and friend to many of our people, and she will be missed. I accepted her resignation, and I respect her decision.”
Republican Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina, on X Tuesday: "My first thoughts walking out of the DOJ tonight. Many of the co-conspirator documents are missing or still redacted. I was unable to view critical information. Memos and attachments drafted by the DOJ on potential co-conspirators remain hidden. The excuse? This is how they received the data. What is clear: these girls were young. They were groomed. Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell are p*dophiles. The American people deserve every page. Every name. And every truth the government is holding onto. I’ll be back tomorrow for more."
Barbara McQuade, legal analyst and former U.S. attorney, to Newsweek via email on Thursday night: "I won't defend her decision to associate with Epstein, but it is rather ironic that one of the few resignations following the release of the Epstein files is a woman who engaged in no apparent sexual misconduct. The survivors deserve better."
What Happens Next
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is expected to continue releasing Epstein-related materials.
Update 2/12/26, 10:41 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and comment from McQuade.
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