Kimberly Guilfoyle resigned as US ambassador to Greece after the White House asked her to step down amid allegations of bribery and ethics violations reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Kimberly Guilfoyle has resigned as the United States ambassador to Greece. The resignation came after the White House asked her to step down amid reports of misconduct, including allegations of attempted influence peddling and bribery.
White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia announced the decision during her inaugural briefing. "We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign," Zacharia told reporters. "She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well."
President Donald Trump confirmed the administration's dissatisfaction with Guilfoyle's conduct. "She went to Greece. She was doing a good job, but we didn’t like what we were reading," Trump said on Tuesday. He added that he had not spoken to her directly.
Guilfoyle announced her resignation on X, stating, "Serving as the United States Ambassador to Greece has been the honor of a lifetime." She denied the allegations against her, writing, "These allegations are false, and I intend to vigorously defend my name, my reputation, and my integrity."
The resignation followed reports by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) detailing alleged improprieties. The WSJ reported that Guilfoyle asked a Trump donor, Eric Deters, to pay a $100,000 American Express bill in exchange for access to senior administration officials. The report cited text messages in which Guilfoyle allegedly wrote, "Honey please, I need you to get this done for me today."
Deters stated that he had already paid Guilfoyle $300,000 without receiving the promised access. "She was so desperate for that $100,000. It was a quid pro quo," Deters told NBC News. He claimed Guilfoyle instructed him to wire the money directly to American Express because "it won’t show up anywhere" that way.
Guilfoyle’s attorneys, David Schwartz and Jesse Binnall, denied any wrongdoing. They stated that the money sought was payment for previous speaking engagements and public appearances that predated her ambassadorship. They also asserted that Guilfoyle "sought, obtained and followed State Department guidance and followed the Department’s travel regulations."
Two people familiar with the matter confirmed to NBC News that the State Department’s inspector general’s office was investigating Guilfoyle. The probe was reportedly prompted by the WSJ reports, which also alleged that Guilfoyle bragged about luxury trips funded by Greek tycoons and threatened to undermine the Greek government if it did not comply with US interests.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio initially defended Guilfoyle, calling her "a strong ambassador," but later declined to comment on the specific allegations. Rubio criticized reporters for asking about the matter, stating, "We don’t conduct these things in a press conference on a tarmac in a foreign country because you wrote a story or somebody else wrote a story because some source gave it to you."
Vice President JD Vance also commented on the situation, saying, "These are accusations" and "we don’t try people in the court of public opinion." He added, "Let’s actually see what the facts are. Let’s see what the truth is, and obviously if there was something bad that happened, then people have to suffer consequences for it."
The resignation highlights ongoing scrutiny of political appointees in the Trump administration and the role of media investigations in triggering official probes. The allegations involve potential violations of ethics rules regarding gifts and influence peddling, which are critical for maintaining the integrity of diplomatic posts. The outcome of the State Department inspector general’s investigation could have broader implications for how ambassadorial candidates are vetted and monitored.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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