U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle is resigning after President Donald Trump asked her to step down amid allegations of improper conduct, she said on Oct. 13.
“Serving as the United States Ambassador to Greece has been the honor of a lifetime,” Guilfoyle said in a statement. “I will forever be grateful to President Donald J. Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.”
New White House press secretary Katie Zacharia said during her first press briefing earlier Tuesday that the president asked Guilfoyle to resign. “She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well,” Zacharia said.
“She went to Greece and was doing a good job but we didn’t like what we were reading,” Trump told reporters in Washington on Tuesday.
Guilfoyle, 57, has been accused of misconduct, including allegedly asking a donor to pay for a $100,000 bill prior to her 2025 confirmation hearing before the Senate.
Guilfoyle said Tuesday that the allegations are false and she intends to defend her name and reputation.
“I have dedicated my professional life to fighting for justice, standing up for what is right, and defending the values that make America exceptional,” she said. “I will not allow false accusations to define my decades of public service.”
Guilfoyle did ask Eric Deters, the donor, for money, her lawyers said in a recent statement. They said Deters owed her money for work she performed “long before she was nominated to serve as ambassador” and that the donor missed payments outlined in a contract.
“When Ms. Guilfoyle was preparing to leave private life for public service, she did what any professional does and tried to close out her outstanding receivables,” the lawyers said.
The attorneys also said that reports about Guilfoyle’s travel were misleading. “Before using any private aircraft, Ambassador Guilfoyle sought, obtained and followed State Department guidance and followed the Department’s travel regulations,” they said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in Greece on Oct. 8 that he was not sure about the veracity of reports about Guilfoyle.
Democrats in the House of Representatives had requested answers from Guilfoyle following the allegations, including communications between her and Deters, and some called for her to be removed.
“If these allegations are true, then Ambassador Guilfoyle has no business representing the United States,” Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.) said in an Oct. 10 statement. “She should be fired and prosecuted.”
Trump had said on Monday that he was considering terminating her.
“We are not happy,” he told reporters in Washington.
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