President Donald Trump said Monday that he is “looking at” removing Kimberly Guilfoyle as U.S. Ambassador to Greece, as allegations of misconduct before and during her time in Athens continue to pile up.
“Well, we’re looking at it,” Trump told reporters at the White House before departing for a campaign rally in Ohio. “Yeah, we’re not happy.”
A senior U.S. official said Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were “extremely pissed off” over the reports and were expected to decide on Guilfoyle’s future this week.
The allegations, first detailed by The Wall Street Journal, include claims that Guilfoyle asked a Trump donor to pay off a $100,000 credit card bill before her confirmation hearing while allegedly promising access to administration officials. The Journal also reported that Guilfoyle made a threat involving the Greek government, promoted the interests of a Greek construction and energy company, let a lobbyist sit in on private diplomatic meetings, and accepted improper gifts or services.
Rubio, who was in Greece last week, grew frustrated when reporters pressed him repeatedly to address the claims in public.
“You guys walk around thinking that because some source told you something, and you reported it, it’s the gospel,” Rubio told reporters at the foot of his plane as Guilfoyle looked on. “It’s not the gospel. It’s not the gospel for me. That’s not the way we do things.”
A day earlier, Rubio declined to discuss the specific allegations while on foreign soil but defended the embassy’s work. “Suffice it to say our embassy here is doing a great job,” he said at a joint news conference with the Greek foreign minister. “Our ambassador has been a strong ambassador here.”
Vice President JD Vance also addressed the matter, saying he was not fully briefed on the specifics but made clear he opposes any official selling access to government figures. “Of course, I don’t like anybody selling access to another government official, certainly a high-level government official,” Vance told reporters. “I assume you’re talking about a specific case, and I can’t say with confidence that the case you’re talking about is actually reflective of the way you’re describing it.”
Guilfoyle denies wrongdoing
Guilfoyle has denied any impropriety through her attorneys, David Schwartz and Jesse Binnall, who said in a statement Sunday that the money she sought from the Trump donor was payment for public appearances and speaking engagements that predated her nomination.
“Ambassador Guilfoyle has served, and will continue to serve, with integrity, honor and distinction,” the lawyers said. “We are evaluating all available legal remedies to collect this debt and any other potential causes of action.”
The attorneys also pushed back on claims regarding her use of private planes, saying she “sought, obtained and followed State Department guidance and followed the department’s travel regulations.”
A U.S. official told The Associated Press that the State Department’s inspector general is reviewing the allegations, though it remains unclear whether a formal investigation has been opened. The State Department declined to comment on a potential inspector general probe.
Top Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Oversight Committee have called for an investigation into Guilfoyle’s conduct.
Guilfoyle, a former California prosecutor, was once married to Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom and was previously engaged to Donald Trump Jr.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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