Washington, October 12: President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are weighing whether to remove Kimberly Guilfoyle as the United States ambassador to Greece, after a series of reports alleged improper and possibly illegal conduct during her tenure, a senior US official told the Associated Press on Sunday.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said both Trump and Rubio were "extremely pissed off" by the conduct described in the reports, and that a decision could come this week, after Monday's Columbus Day holiday.
The allegations, first reported by The Wall Street Journal beginning in late September, include claims that Guilfoyle threatened a Greek host-country official by suggesting she could undermine the Greek government if it did not cooperate; accepted improper gifts and services; and asked a Trump donor by text message to pay a $100,000 credit card bill just before her confirmation hearing while promising access to administration officials.
The reports further allege that she promoted the business interests of a Greek construction and energy firm, allowed its lobbyist into private diplomatic meetings, and boasted of luxury travel with energy executives.
Denials and pressure for a probe
Guilfoyle has not directly addressed the reports. Her lawyer says she did nothing wrong, and the US Embassy in Athens has tacitly expressed support for her.
Rubio defended Guilfoyle on Wednesday, calling her a strong ambassador, but by Thursday he was berating journalists who asked about the reports. Democrats in Congress, including Representatives Gregory Meeks and Robert Garcia and Senator Jeanne Shaheen, have called for an investigation, and a second official told the AP that the State Department's inspector general is looking into the allegations. The State Department declined to comment.
Guilfoyle, a former Fox News Channel host and California prosecutor who was once engaged to Donald Trump Jr., took up the Athens post amid a visit by Rubio last week, when she greeted him at the airport as the allegations swirled.
Sources:
- AP: Trump, Rubio weigh firing US envoy to Greece after mounting reports of improper conduct (NowGeorgia)
- AP: Trump, Rubio weigh firing US envoy to Greece after mounting reports of improper conduct (Arab News)
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said both Trump and Rubio were "extremely pissed off" by the conduct described in the reports, and that a decision could come this week, after Monday's Columbus Day holiday.
The allegations, first reported by The Wall Street Journal beginning in late September, include claims that Guilfoyle threatened a Greek host-country official by suggesting she could undermine the Greek government if it did not cooperate; accepted improper gifts and services; and asked a Trump donor by text message to pay a $100,000 credit card bill just before her confirmation hearing while promising access to administration officials.
The reports further allege that she promoted the business interests of a Greek construction and energy firm, allowed its lobbyist into private diplomatic meetings, and boasted of luxury travel with energy executives.
Denials and pressure for a probe
Guilfoyle has not directly addressed the reports. Her lawyer says she did nothing wrong, and the US Embassy in Athens has tacitly expressed support for her.
Rubio defended Guilfoyle on Wednesday, calling her a strong ambassador, but by Thursday he was berating journalists who asked about the reports. Democrats in Congress, including Representatives Gregory Meeks and Robert Garcia and Senator Jeanne Shaheen, have called for an investigation, and a second official told the AP that the State Department's inspector general is looking into the allegations. The State Department declined to comment.
Guilfoyle, a former Fox News Channel host and California prosecutor who was once engaged to Donald Trump Jr., took up the Athens post amid a visit by Rubio last week, when she greeted him at the airport as the allegations swirled.
Sources:
- AP: Trump, Rubio weigh firing US envoy to Greece after mounting reports of improper conduct (NowGeorgia)
- AP: Trump, Rubio weigh firing US envoy to Greece after mounting reports of improper conduct (Arab News)
