Kimberly Guilfoyle resigns as US Ambassador to Greece following pressure from the White House

WASHINGTON — Kimberly Guilfoyle announced her resignation as the US Ambassador to Greece on Tuesday after President Trump requested her to step down. This request followed a Wall Street Journal report detailing her solicitation of $100,000 from former GOP congressional candidate Eric Deters to cover personal expenses ahead of her confirmation hearing. Guilfoyle, who was previously engaged to Donald Trump Jr., expressed gratitude towards President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a post on X, stating, "My gratitude and respect for President Trump and Secretary [of State Marco] Rubio remain unwavering. I am proud of what we accomplished together, and I will always be a loyal supporter of President Trump and his mission to Make America Great Again." She added that her commitment to Trump and the America First movement would continue despite her resignation. White House press secretary Katie Zacharia confirmed that Guilfoyle was asked to resign. President Trump commented on her departure, saying, "She wasn’t a member of my family. She, I guess, dated my son for a while. She was doing a good job, but we didn’t like what we were reading." Guilfoyle faced scrutiny from congressional Democrats regarding her connections to Christos Marafatsos, a lobbyist for the Greek construction firm Aktor Group. Reports indicated that she promoted Aktor as a potential supplier of US-produced natural gas to southeastern Europe, with Marafatsos frequently attending meetings. Additionally, Guilfoyle was noted for her relationship with shipping tycoon Nikolas Tsakos, who reportedly contributed to her lifestyle. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was in Greece for a speech, was reportedly displeased with the situation surrounding Guilfoyle. Guilfoyle denied allegations of misconduct, stating, "I intend to vigorously defend my name, my reputation, and my integrity. I have dedicated my professional life to fighting for justice, standing up for what is right, and defending the values that make America exceptional. I will not allow false accusations to define my decades of public service." Deters provided text messages to the Journal showing Guilfoyle's requests for financial assistance, stating, "It won’t show up anywhere if you wire money to American Express that’s all that will show." He ultimately declined to provide the funds, describing the situation as "grifting on the highest level."