Kimberly Guilfoyle Resigns as Trump's Ambassador to Greece After Ethics Investigations
Kimberly Guilfoyle stepped down as U.S. ambassador to Greece after Wall Street Journal investigations revealed she promoted a Greek construction company, solicited a $100,000 donation from a Trump donor, and accepted luxury travel from a shipping magnate. She denied wrongdoing and claimed the text messages were AI-generated.
Kimberly Guilfoyle has resigned as U.S. ambassador to Greece after a series of investigations into her conduct, culminating in the White House asking her to step down. The resignation followed reporting that she had promoted a Greek construction company while working closely with its top lobbyist, solicited a six-figure donation from a Trump donor, and accepted private jet flights and luxury hotel stays from a shipping magnate.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Guilfoyle's final days at the ambassador's residence in Athens, known as Jefferson House, played out under the gaze of large self-portraits she had installed. Visitors reportedly saw her peering past them at a muted television airing coverage of her growing political troubles. The White House announced it was asking her to step down just hours before the Journal published its account of her final days.
The first Journal investigation, published late last month, found that Guilfoyle had been promoting a Greek construction company while working closely with its top lobbyist. A second report revealed text messages in which she asked Trump donor Eric Deters for $100,000 ahead of her confirmation hearing last year. A third investigation, published Saturday, detailed private jet flights and stays at luxury European hotels provided by shipping magnate Nikolas Tsakos.
Behind the scenes, Guilfoyle fought to keep her post, placing calls to Trump administration officials and prominent Trump allies, frequently in the early morning hours Athens time, seeking support. After the Deters text messages surfaced, she told White House officials the messages were AI-generated. Officials did not believe her, and the Journal said its reporters confirmed the texts were authentic. She also searched for the source of the leaks, pointing the finger at embassy staffers and her own security team, and reached out to Breitbart News Washington bureau chief Matthew Boyle for help lobbying the Trump administration.
Publicly, Guilfoyle maintained appearances. On Monday, she shared a photo with Spain's ambassador to Greece marking the country's national day, captioned «Feliz Fiesta Nacional!» She also posted birthday wishes to Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law, on Instagram. As late as Tuesday morning, she was telling associates she would weather the storm.
President Trump, however, had run out of patience. People who spoke with him said he was irritated by how blatant the accusations seemed and bothered that Guilfoyle was profiting off his presidency. Senior aides feared the headlines would reinforce perceptions of self-dealing just weeks before the midterm elections.
Guilfoyle announced her resignation on social media, calling the allegations false and thanking Trump. The post was later edited to add a line of gratitude to the people of Greece for welcoming her «with open arms.»
The resignation marks a swift fall for a prominent figure in Trump's orbit. Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host and longtime Trump ally, had been confirmed to the ambassadorship last year. Her departure comes as the administration seeks to avoid distractions ahead of the midterm elections, with aides concerned that the ethics allegations could become a liability at the polls.
The White House has not commented publicly on the specifics of the investigations. The State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It remains unclear who will be nominated to replace Guilfoyle as ambassador to Greece.
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