Kimberly Guilfoyle resigned as United States Ambassador to Greece on October 13, 2026, following a White House demand prompted by investigations into alleged misconduct, including requests for money from a Republican donor.
The departure marks a rapid exit for a prominent figure within the Make America Great Again movement who maintained close ties to the family of President Donald Trump. White House press secretary Katie Zacharia announced the decision during her inaugural press briefing, stating that the administration had asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign and describing her as an excellent addition to our team
while wishing her well.
Ambassador Pressed Donor for $100,000 American Express Payment
The pressure on the ambassador intensified after reports published by the Wall Street Journal detailed allegations that she used her position for personal and financial gain. Central to the controversy were encrypted messages sent in July 2025 to Eric Deters, a long-time Trump supporter and donor from Kentucky, just days before her Senate confirmation hearing.
Serving as the United States Ambassador to Greece has been the honor of a lifetime. I will forever be grateful to President Donald J. Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for entrusting me with the extraordinary privilege of representing the greatest country in the history of…
According to messages disclosed by the donor, the messages instructed him to transfer $100,000 directly to an American Express account to settle a personal credit card bill. One message read, Darling, please, I need you to sort this out for me today, accompanied by a PDF document containing payment instructions. Another message stated, It won’t appear anywhere if you transfer the money to American Express.
Additional reporting revealed that Deters had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years seeking various favors, including the extradition of a surgeon, Abubakar Atiq Durrani, who fled to Pakistan after being accused of performing unnecessary operations on hundreds of patients, participating in a program hosted by former Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson, and having musician Kid Rock produce a song he wrote, though none of those outcomes materialized.
Deters, who ultimately did not send the funds, maintained that the request was part of an explicit quid pro quo arrangement where he was promised access to senior administration figures and assistance with legal and tax problems. Attorneys for Guilfoyle disputed the characterization of the communications, asserting that the money represented legitimate consulting fees and speaking work owed for prior professional services rendered to the donor. Attorney Jesse Binnall contested the authenticity of the text messages released by Deters and suggested any financial figures mentioned could pertain to expense reimbursements or past professional commitments.
Good. But resigning does not shield her from accountability.Guilfoyle used her position as a Trump official to get rich, while American families struggle with the cost of living.Congress must conduct oversight to understand how this happened and hold the admin accountable. https://t.co/d6GuKi1SkJ
President Distances Himself as State Department Reviews Conduct
President Trump acknowledged the administration’s discontent ahead of the formal resignation, telling reporters outside the White House that officials were reviewing the matter and were not satisfied with what they were reading. When asked about their personal connection, the president distanced himself from the outgoing diplomat, noting that she merely dated his son years prior and was not a family member. Later, the president remarked directly that she was not a member of my family
and only dated my son a long time ago.
Guilfoyle had served a four-year engagement to Donald Trump Jr. before the relationship ended in 2024. Following the separation, she was nominated to the diplomatic post in Athens in December 2024 and assumed office in September 2025. Her professional background also included working as a prosecutor in San Francisco, co-hosting The Five on Fox News, and serving as an anchor on the network after her 2006 divorce from current California Gavin Newsom.
Serving as the United States Ambassador to Greece has been the honor of a lifetime. I will forever be grateful to President Donald J. Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for entrusting me with the extraordinary privilege of representing the greatest country in the history of…
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was traveling to Greece on an official visit when the Wall Street Journal published reports regarding the alleged reciprocal favor scheme. Guilfoyle attended multiple events alongside Rubio, during which the secretary declined to comment on the emerging news. Democratic lawmakers, including Representative Gregory Meeks and Jeanne Shaheen, demanded formal inquiries into her conduct.
Additional reporting highlighted that she had brought a lobbyist from a Greek construction and energy company into official meetings, and had warned guests at an embassy reception that the United States could undermine the Greek government if it chose to do so.
Inspectors General Weigh Investigations in Athens
The controversy also drew scrutiny from Greek opposition figures.
Greece's position as a NATO ally providing strategic military facilities to ensure security in the Eastern Mediterranean and its leadership of a European Union maritime mission to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea affect the region.
According to sources familiar with inspector general offices, any continuing evaluation by the State Department’s inspector general could take roughly a year to complete, depending on whether the Department of Justice decides to launch an investigation into the matter.