WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyleresigned Tuesday after allegations of inappropriate conduct, but insisted she would “vigorously defend herself.”
The Trump administration said earlier Tuesday that it had asked Guilfoyle to leave her post after she faced harsh criticism following allegations that she engaged in inappropriate, even illegal, conduct before and during her tenure in Athens.
The announcement, after days of comments and speculation, came in response to a question posed to new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia at his first press briefing Tuesday morning. Zacharia said Guilfoyle “has been a wonderful asset to the team and we wish him well.”
Guilfoyle’s departure comes after his possibility was previewed to the Associated Press over the weekend and to Trump. registered his dissatisfaction Monday to reports of his alleged conduct.
“Well, we’re thinking about it,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked if he was considering firing Guilfoyle. “We are not happy.”
The comments came a day after the AP, citing a senior U.S. official, reported that Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were “extremely upset” by Guilfoyle’s reported conduct and would likely decide his future this week.
In a series of articles late last month, the Wall Street Journal reported questionable conduct by Guilfoyle, including allegedly threatening a host country official, accepting inappropriate gifts and services, and offering to use his influence within the Republican administration in exchange for paying a large credit card bill.
Guilfoyle denies accusations, cites his ‘decades of public service’
Guilfoyle directly addressed these allegations in an article on X, stating: “These allegations are false and I intend to vigorously defend my name, reputation and integrity. »
“I have dedicated my professional life to fighting for justice, standing up for what is right, and upholding the values that make America great,” she said. “I will not allow false accusations to define my decades of public service. »
In a statement released Sunday evening, Guilfoyle’s lawyers denied she did anything wrong and said the money she was seeking from a Trump donor was payment for services — public appearances and speaking engagements prior to her appointment as ambassador — that had not been paid for.
The attorneys, David Schwartz and Jesse Binnall, also rejected allegations of impropriety related to Guilfoyle’s travel on private planes, saying that before each such trip she “sought, obtained, and followed guidance from the Department of State and followed the Department’s travel rules.”
The allegations began surfacing weeks ago
After defending Guilfoyle following the first report, Rubio declined to comment publicly on the growing allegations. Last week, Rubio said: “Our ambassador has been a strong ambassador here. »
But after another report emerged later, Rubio — speaking Thursday before leaving Athens — chastised reporters for asking about the allegations. He said he didn’t know if the reports were true and wouldn’t respond if he couldn’t confirm them.
“You walk around thinking that because a source told you something and you reported it, that’s the gospel. That’s not the gospel. That’s not the gospel to me. That’s not how we do things,” Rubio said at the foot of his plane as Guilfoyle, who was there to see him off, looked on.
A second U.S. official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters, said the State Department’s inspector general was investigating the allegations, which began surfacing in the Journal late last month and have since grown.
The second official could not say whether a formal IG investigation had begun. Inspectors general often conduct informal investigations into complaints against staff members, and these investigations often do not result in a thorough investigation, which can result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
The State Department declined to comment on a possible IG investigation.
There was no immediate response to Zacharia’s statement from the Greek government or cabinet members.
Before Tuesday’s announcement, Greek opposition parties had called on the Foreign Ministry to summon Guilfoyle to respond to the allegations against her. “This is above all a question of national dignity,” Sia Anagnostopoulou, former deputy foreign minister, told parliament on Friday. Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis responded that Guilfoyle had been treated “the same as any other ambassador” and maintained that a formal summons had not been necessary.
Hours earlier, Guilfoyle posted photos from his meeting this week with the Spanish ambassador in Athens as well as birthday wishes for Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law, accompanied by Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night,” from the 2023 soundtrack to the movie “Barbie.”
Democrats call for investigation
The two top Democrats on the House and Senate Foreign Relations Committees, Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, as well as the ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Rep. Robert Garcia, Democrat of California, have already called for an investigation into Guilfoyle.
Since late September, the Journal has detailed numerous accounts of questionable conduct by Guilfoyle. Her first report said she told guests at a reception that the United States could weaken the Greek government if it wanted, that it defended the business interests of a particular Greek construction and energy company, and that it allowed its lobbyist to participate in private diplomatic meetings.
While Rubio was in Athens, the Journal reported — citing text messages — that Guilfoyle asked a Trump donor and supporter to pay a $100,000 credit card bill just before his confirmation hearing, promising him access to administration officials if he did so.
The Journal then reported that Guilfoyle was furious at not being invited to a Greek-themed event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this year and demanded to attend while bragging about luxury trips to France with energy company executives.
Another report, from British tabloid The Daily Mail, said Guilfoyle had alienated U.S. embassy staff in Athens and pushed the boundaries of appropriate behavior for the top U.S. government official in Greece.
Guilfoyle is a former Fox News Channel host and California prosecutor, formerly married to California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, and engaged to Trump’s son, Donald Jr.
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AP reporter Derek Gatapoulos in Athens contributed.
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