The White House has asked the US ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, to resign, White House spokesperson Katie Zacharia confirmed on Tuesday. The request follows a series of allegations of inappropriate, and possibly illegal, conduct during her diplomatic tenure in Athens.
Zacharia, in her first address to the press, stated that Guilfoyle had been an exceptionally valuable member of the team and wished her all the best. It is not yet known whether the ambassador has accepted the request and submitted her resignation. The US Embassy in Athens did not immediately respond to a request for comment addressed to Guilfoyle.
US President Donald Trump had hinted the day before that her dismissal might be imminent. When asked by journalists whether he was considering her removal, Trump replied: "We are reviewing the situation", then added: "We are not satisfied." According to an Associated Press report, Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are extremely angry over the allegations against the 57-year-old ambassador, and a decision on her future was to be made during this week.
Guilfoyle found herself at the centre of a scandal after private messages were published which suggest she allegedly asked Republican donor Eric Deters to cover her credit card debt of $100,000. In return, according to these reports, she offered him access to high-ranking officials in the US administration and assistance in resolving his tax and legal issues. Her lawyer has disputed the authenticity of the published messages, and her legal team claims the money was intended as payment for previously unpaid appearances and speeches.
According to documents, emails and messages analysed by The Wall Street Journal, Guilfoyle contacted Deters, a former candidate for the House of Representatives and political donor from Kentucky, in July 2025, just days before a hearing before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In one message she wrote: "Darling, please, I need you to sort this out for me today. It won't be seen anywhere if you transfer the money to American Express. Please." Deters, in return, promised payments totaling up to $1 million if she managed to secure the desired decisions.
US lawmakers had previously expressed concern over allegations that Guilfoyle threatened to use US influence against the Greek government. A US official stated that the State Department's inspector general is addressing these allegations, though it has not been confirmed that a formal investigation has been launched. Greece is a key US ally in NATO and provides crucial military facilities to maintain security in the eastern Mediterranean, and leads the European Union's naval mission to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
