United States President, Donald Trump, has asked Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign as American ambassador to Greece following allegations of misconduct, including claims that she sought money from a political donor in exchange for access to the administration.
White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia announced that Guilfoyle had been asked to step down, although she did not provide further details about the decision.
Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host and longtime Trump ally, had come under increasing scrutiny over reports that she allegedly asked Trump donor Eric Deters to settle a substantial credit card bill and engaged in inappropriate conduct while serving in Athens.
Trump had expressed displeasure over the allegations earlier in the week, telling reporters on Tuesday that Guilfoyle had performed well in her role but would no longer remain in Greece.
“I didn’t like what I read,” he said.
During her first White House media briefing, which lasted just 14 minutes, Zacharia confirmed Guilfoyle’s impending departure.
“She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well,” she said.
Guilfoyle, 57, was nominated for the diplomatic position in December 2024, shortly before Trump returned to the White House.
She was previously married to California Governor Gavin Newsom and had been engaged to Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, before their relationship ended in late 2024.
In a lengthy statement posted on X on Tuesday, Guilfoyle thanked Trump for appointing her and reaffirmed her loyalty to him while rejecting the allegations against her.
“I intend to vigorously defend my name, my reputation, and my integrity,” she wrote, adding she will “not allow false accusations to define my decades of public service”.
The controversy intensified after The Wall Street Journal reported a series of text messages that the BBC said it had seen.
The messages appeared to show Guilfoyle requesting money from Deters, a longtime Trump supporter.
“It won’t show up anywhere if you wire money to American Express,” she wrote in one Signal message.
In another message, dated days before her US Senate confirmation hearing last July, she reportedly wrote, “Honey please I need you to get this done for me today.”
However, Guilfoyle’s lawyers challenged the authenticity of the messages, maintaining that she was seeking payment for speaking engagements and consulting services she had provided to Deters before becoming ambassador.
Deters denied that account, telling the BBC that he did not owe Guilfoyle money for speaking or consulting work.
He also said he had not ultimately paid her and intended to pursue legal action against her.
“It’s a great day for American diplomacy,” Deters said following news of Guilfoyle’s removal.
Separately, audio recordings obtained by The Wall Street Journal reportedly captured Guilfoyle discussing her relationships with prominent Greek business figures, whom she allegedly said had financed luxury trips and private jet flights.
The newspaper also reported that she boasted to an official in Athens that the United States could topple the Greek government.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who appeared alongside Guilfoyle during a visit to Athens last week, had reportedly become unhappy with the allegations.
Trump said he had not spoken with Guilfoyle before she was asked to resign.
He also played down her former relationship with his son, saying, “She, I guess, dated my son a long time ago” but was not like a family member.
The president reiterated his dissatisfaction with the reports, saying, “She went to Greece, she was doing a good job, but we didn’t like what we were reading”.
Guilfoyle has denied wrongdoing and vowed to defend her reputation as the controversy surrounding her diplomatic appointment continues.
