ATHENS, Greece (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio flatly refused Thursday to comment on a new report alleging that the U.S. ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle behaved inappropriately, even illegally, before taking office.
Rubio told reporters he would not discuss the allegations contained in a Wall Street Journal article That said, Guilfoyle had asked a donor and supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump to pay a $100,000 credit card bill just before his confirmation hearing, promising him access to administration officials if he did so.
He spoke before leaving Greece, where he gave a speech calling on European countries to return to what he described as their civilizational roots.
Rubio said he was aware of the Wall Street Journal report, published Wednesday evening, but did not know if it was true and would not respond to it.
“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,” he said at the foot of his plane as Guilfoyle, who was there to see him leave Greece, looked on.
At a joint news conference with Greece’s foreign minister on Wednesday, Rubio said he would not respond to the allegations during a visit to a foreign country, but added: “Suffice to say, our embassy here is doing a great job. Our ambassador has been a strong ambassador here.”
The two top Democrats on the House and Senate Foreign Affairs committees have called for an investigation into Guilfoyle, but Rubio would not say whether he was prepared to open one.
Congressional Democrats were already looking into allegations reported last month by The Wall Street Journal that Guilfoyle acted inappropriately while serving as the top U.S. envoy to Greece.
The Journal reported that Guilfoyle told guests at a reception that the United States could weaken the Greek government if it wanted, that it promoted the business interests of a particular Greek construction and energy company and that it allowed its lobbyist to participate in private diplomatic meetings.
Guilfoyle, a former Fox News Channel host and California prosecutor who was once engaged to Trump’s son Donald Jr., has denied any wrongdoing and Rubio has previously defended her.
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This version corrects the day of the press conference to Wednesday.
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