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

The White House asked US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign on 13 October 2026 after a series of reports raised questions about her conduct before and during her tenure.

Katie Zacharia, in her first appearance as White House press secretary, stated that the administration had requested the resignation. She described Guilfoyle as a wonderful asset and wished her well. President Donald Trump later told reporters on the South Lawn that he did not like what he had read and that he had not spoken to Guilfoyle personally before the decision. A White House official confirmed receipt of her formal resignation later that day.

Guilfoyle posted on X within hours. She called serving as ambassador the honor of a lifetime, thanked Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and stated that the allegations against her were false. She said she would vigorously defend her name, reputation, and integrity. She added that her commitment to the America First movement would not end with the post.

The Wall Street Journal published a series of reports beginning in late September 2026. One described Guilfoyle promoting a Greek construction and energy firm while working closely with its lobbyist and bringing the lobbyist into official meetings. Another cited text messages in which she allegedly asked a Trump donor, Eric Deters, for $100,000 to cover an American Express bill ahead of her Senate confirmation hearing in 2025. She reportedly wrote that the transfer would not leave a paper trail if wired directly to the card. Her lawyers stated that any payments related to speaking and consulting work performed before her nomination and that Deters owed her money for those services.

Additional reports alleged that she accepted lavish gifts, boasted about luxury travel funded by Greek businessmen, and told guests at a reception that the United States could undermine the Greek government if it chose. Britain's Daily Mail reported that the State Department's inspector general was reviewing complaints of inappropriate behavior from embassy staff in Athens. US lawmakers, including ranking members on oversight committees, had called for investigations.

Guilfoyle, a former San Francisco prosecutor and Fox News host, became engaged to Donald Trump Jr. and later served as a prominent campaign surrogate. After the engagement ended, Trump nominated her as ambassador to Greece. She took up the post in late 2025. The decision to remove her came one day after Trump said the administration was looking at the matter and was not happy.

The resignation removes a high-profile figure from the diplomatic service less than a year after confirmation. It also places the Athens embassy under interim leadership at a time when US-Greece relations involve energy, defense, and Eastern Mediterranean issues. The State Department has not yet announced a successor or the precise date her departure takes effect. Guilfoyle's public statement leaves open the possibility of legal action against those who published the allegations.

The sequence of events shows the speed with which the White House moved once the press secretary's first briefing was underway. Trump's comments on the South Lawn while en route to campaign events in Alaska indicated that the decision had already been made and that personal consultation with the ambassador was not part of the process.