Rubio Snaps at Reporters Over Guilfoyle Investigation

Senator Marco Rubio became visibly irritated when pressed by reporters on Tuesday about a State Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigation into US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle. The probe, initially reported by the Daily Mail, has drawn further scrutiny following Wall Street Journal reports on leaked texts alleging a request for a $100,000 payoff for an American Express bill.

Confronted on a foreign tarmac during an international diplomatic tour, Rubio stated, "I'm not playing this game with you." He criticized the media's reliance on unnamed sources, adding, "You guys somehow walk around thinking that because some source told you something and you reported it, it's the gospel. It's not the gospel for me."

Rubio, who was seen boarding a plane with Guilfoyle near Athens, explained his reluctance to comment on a story that had recently surfaced. "Our job is not to respond every time someone decides to give the media something without any advance warning, without having any chance to look at it and see what's in there," he said. "So I'm not going to comment on a story that literally posted a few hours ago."

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Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance addressed similar questions from CBS News Senior White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs regarding allegations of a US ambassador seeking personal debt payoffs for government access. "Obviously I don't love that," Vance admitted.

Vance emphasized the importance of context and full facts before forming an opinion, stating, "What I find with these stories is that you never want to comment in a purely abstract way because a lot of times the details really matter, and the details and the context inform the reality of the situation." He added, "So of course, I don't like anybody selling access to another government official, certainly a high-level government official."

According to five sources who spoke to the Daily Mail, the State Department OIG has initiated a formal probe into Guilfoyle, 57, and her embassy in Athens. Three sources indicated that the investigation is examining allegations related to Guilfoyle's potential substance abuse, use of private aircraft, connections to an energy and construction company, and acceptance of improper gifts. This investigation follows previous Daily Mail reporting on Guilfoyle's lifestyle, which included details of extensive travel, parties with prominent figures, a private photographer, and unpaid dining bills.

Sources within Greece told the Daily Mail that the official IG probe was launched after internal complaints within the U.S. Embassy reached a critical point. Jesse Binnall, Guilfoyle's lawyer, declined to comment on the probe, stating that the ambassador adheres to a "standard policy" of not commenting on "internal matters." He added that any implication of wrongdoing by the ambassador is unsupported and referred inquiries to the State Department OIG.