Newsroom
Kimberly Guilfoyle’s future as U.S. ambassador to Greece is under discussion at the highest level in Washington, with President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio considering her removal, according to the Associated Press.
A senior U.S. official told AP that both were furious over reports about her conduct before and during her posting in Athens. A decision on the next steps could come this week, after Monday’s Columbus Day holiday. No decision to remove her has been announced.
At the center of the controversy is a series of Wall Street Journal reports, including an allegation that Guilfoyle asked a Trump donor to pay a $100,000 credit card bill shortly before her confirmation hearing, promising access to administration officials in return. The newspaper said its reporting drew on text messages.
Her lawyers denied wrongdoing in a statement released Sunday. They said the money concerned unpaid speaking engagements and public appearances predating her nomination, and that her private-plane travel followed State Department guidance and regulations.
The Journal’s earlier reporting alleged that Guilfoyle told reception guests Washington could undermine the Greek government if it chose to. It also reported that she promoted the interests of a particular Greek construction and energy company and allowed its lobbyist to attend private diplomatic meetings.
The allegations followed Rubio throughout his visit to Athens last week. He initially praised Guilfoyle’s performance, but pushed back when journalists questioned him before his departure Thursday, saying he could not confirm whether the reports were true.
According to the official who spoke to AP anonymously about the internal discussions, Rubio’s frustration grew as further reports emerged.
A second U.S. official told AP that the State Department’s inspector general was examining the allegations, but could not confirm whether a formal investigation had begun. The department declined to comment on a potential inquiry.
Senior congressional Democrats Gregory Meeks, Jeanne Shaheen and Robert Garcia have also called for an investigation.
For now, Guilfoyle remains in her post, with her future unresolved and the allegations disputed.
