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Kimberly Guilfoyle has resigned as United States Ambassador to Greece at the White House’s request, departing after less than a year in post following a series of investigative reports by the Wall Street Journal that alleged she leveraged her position for personal and financial benefit. She has denied the accusations.
The decisive moment came on 13 October at a White House briefing. New press secretary Katie Zacharia, fielding a question on the matter during what was described as her first formal briefing, said: “We asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign. She was a very valued member of the team and we wish her well.” The New York Times noted that Guilfoyle was effectively dismissed live on air.
A prominent figure in Trump’s orbit
Guilfoyle, 57, spent years as one of the most recognisable figures surrounding Donald Trump. She worked as a prosecutor in San Francisco and Los Angeles before becoming a Fox News presenter. She was previously married to current California Governor Gavin Newsom and was later engaged to the president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.
She was among the first ambassadorial nominees of Trump’s second term. The U.S. Senate confirmed her in September 2025 and she arrived in Athens on 1 November of that year, meaning she served in the role for under a year before the controversy ended her tenure.
What the Wall Street Journal reported
The allegations surfaced in stages. In September, the Journal reported on a potential conflict of interest tied to energy deals in the Balkans. Further reporting in early October accelerated the crisis. The newspaper’s claims fall into several categories, none of which have been formally proven.
According to the Journal, Guilfoyle brought a lobbyist named Christos Marafatsos — representing a construction and energy company called Aktor — into meetings with foreign officials. She is said to have actively promoted a 20-year agreement under which a joint venture involving Aktor would purchase American liquefied natural gas, with the deal being pushed across countries in South-Eastern Europe.
The Journal also reported that Guilfoyle travelled on private aircraft belonging to Greek businesspeople. Aktor’s lawyer was quoted as saying the ambassador had consistently advanced U.S. interests. More broadly, the paper alleged she offered to facilitate access to Trump administration officials in exchange for money, gifts and services — the claim at the centre of the White House’s decision to seek her resignation.
Guilfoyle has rejected the allegations. The White House’s terse public statement, delivered at a live briefing rather than through a private notification, drew attention in Washington as an unusually abrupt way to end a diplomatic appointment.