White House Asks Greece Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle to Resign Amid Allegations
The White House confirmed it requested the resignation of Kimberly Guilfoyle, citing financial dealings and staff treatment.
The White House has asked Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign from her position as the U.S. ambassador to Greece, citing mounting allegations regarding her financial dealings, treatment of embassy staff, and relationships with foreign business interests. White House press secretary Katie Zachariah confirmed the request on Tuesday.
"We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign. She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well," Zachariah stated during a press briefing. The White House has not clarified whether Guilfoyle has officially submitted her resignation, referring inquiries to Zachariah's remarks.
The development follows President Donald Trump's public acknowledgment on Monday that he was considering removing Guilfoyle, who was previously engaged to his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.
Guilfoyle came under scrutiny after The Wall Street Journal reported that she allegedly asked a Trump donor, Eric Deters, to pay off a $100,000 American Express bill shortly before her Senate confirmation hearing in July 2025. According to messages reviewed by the Journal, Guilfoyle suggested the payment be wired directly to American Express to avoid a paper trail and offered access to senior Trump administration officials in return. Deters stated he did not make the payment.
Jesse Binnall, Guilfoyle's attorney, disputed the authenticity of these messages, asserting that Guilfoyle had been paid for speaking engagements before her nomination and was owed a balance for her travel and support for patriotic events.
Earlier reports from The Wall Street Journal also detailed allegations concerning Guilfoyle's conduct in Greece, including claims that she promoted the interests of Greek construction and energy company Aktor Group. The reports stated that she allowed the company's registered lobbyist, Christos Marafatsos, to accompany her to private diplomatic meetings with senior officials.
Additionally, The Journal reported that Guilfoyle allegedly suggested at a dinner with Greek officials that the U.S. might undermine their government, referencing political developments in Romania. Greece's foreign minister, however, stated that summoning Guilfoyle was unnecessary as the country's energy minister denied any such threat was made.
The State Department's Office of Inspector General has reportedly launched an investigation into allegations concerning Guilfoyle's alleged mistreatment of embassy employees, her private travel, acceptance of gifts, and connections with business interests, according to the Daily Mail.
Sources described a potentially hostile work environment, with claims that Guilfoyle threatened to fire employees and demoted security detail members for minor incidents, such as an officer who reportedly failed to retrieve ice at 4 a.m. during her vacation in Mykonos. The inspector general's office has declined to confirm or deny the existence of an investigation, and Binnall has stated that any implication of wrongdoing is unsupported.
Congressional Democrats, including Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Representative Gregory Meeks, have called for a review of Guilfoyle's conduct, with Meeks urging her removal if the allegations are substantiated. Vice President JD Vance advised caution, stating that misconduct should result in consequences after the facts are established.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio initially defended Guilfoyle's performance during a visit to Greece, calling her a "strong ambassador." However, he later declined to address the specific allegations directly, questioning reporters' reliance on unnamed sources.
Trump nominated Guilfoyle for the ambassadorial post in December 2024. A former California prosecutor and a prominent Trump ally, she previously served as a surrogate and fundraiser for the president. Guilfoyle was engaged to Donald Trump Jr. for four years before their split in December 2024, the same month she was nominated. Donald Trump Jr. married Bettina Anderson in May 2026.