White House Asks Kimberly Guilfoyle to Resign as US Ambassador to Greece Amid Misconduct Allegations

The White House asked Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign as United States Ambassador to Greece on 13 October 2026. New press secretary Katie Zacharia announced the request during her first briefing. Guilfoyle confirmed her departure hours later in a post on X.

Guilfoyle had served in the post since November 2025 after Senate confirmation. She is a former San Francisco prosecutor and Fox News host who was engaged to Donald Trump Jr. from 2018 to 2024. President Donald Trump told reporters outside the White House that she was doing a good job but that he did not like what he read about her conduct. He said he had not spoken with her personally about the matter.

The Wall Street Journal first reported on 8 October that Guilfoyle asked long-time Trump donor Eric Deters to pay a $100,000 American Express bill just days before her Senate confirmation hearing in July 2025. Messages cited by the paper showed her writing, “Honey please I need you to get this done for me today,” and urging him to use Signal so the transfer would not appear on records. She warned that continued written discussion could cost her the ambassadorship. Deters told the Journal and other outlets that she offered access to senior administration officials, including the FBI director and a former IRS commissioner, in exchange for the payment.

Further reporting described Guilfoyle accepting improper gifts and services while in Athens. Audio recordings obtained by the Journal allegedly captured her bragging about close ties to two Greek tycoons who bankrolled luxury travel and private jet flights. She was also reported to have promoted the commercial interests of the Greek company Aktor during official engagements and to have brought a lobbyist for the firm into meetings. Separate accounts said she told a host-country official that the United States could topple the Greek government if it did not cooperate on certain issues. The Daily Mail reported that the State Department’s Office of Inspector General was examining complaints from embassy staff about inappropriate behavior.

Guilfoyle denied the allegations in her resignation post. She wrote that the claims were false and that she would vigorously defend her name, reputation, and integrity. She said she would not allow false accusations to define decades of public service. She expressed unwavering gratitude and respect for Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and called the ambassadorship the honor of a lifetime. Her attorneys earlier stated that Deters owed her money for a speaking engagement, a claim he has denied.

Zacharia described Guilfoyle as a wonderful asset to the team and wished her well. The formal resignation letter reached the White House the same day. Trump later told reporters that Guilfoyle “will not be there” in Greece. The move followed days of speculation after Trump said on 12 October that he was “looking at” firing her and was “not happy.”

The episode removes a high-profile political appointee from a NATO ally less than a year after confirmation. Greece maintains important interests in energy transit, migration routes, and security cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean. Embassy operations continue under a chargé d’affaires pending nomination of a successor. No formal criminal charges have been filed against Guilfoyle. Lawmakers from both parties had already raised questions about the Journal’s reporting and the adequacy of financial disclosures submitted during confirmation.

The resignation underscores the scrutiny applied to donors, gifts, and foreign contacts among political appointees. Future nominees may face tighter review of pre-confirmation financial arrangements and post-arrival conduct. The Greek government has not issued a public comment on the change in representation. The White House has not released additional details on any internal review that prompted the request for resignation.

Guilfoyle’s departure closes a brief diplomatic chapter that began with her arrival in Athens in late 2025. Her prior career included work as a prosecutor, television commentator, and advisor to pro-Trump political organizations. The White House has not announced a replacement.