Donald Trump and his secretary of state, Marco Rubio, are actively discussing the removal of Kimberly Guilfoyle as United States ambassador to Greece, according to a senior administration official, after a cascade of reports detailing alleged improper and potentially illegal conduct during her tenure in Athens. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe private deliberations, said both men are “extremely pissed off” and expect to reach a decision this week, once Monday’s federal holiday has passed. The development marks a sharp reversal for an appointee who, until recently, enjoyed the president’s full confidence.
A Rapid Erosion of Confidence
The allegations, primarily reported by the Wall Street Journal over the past several weeks, paint a picture of an envoy operating well outside diplomatic norms. They range from threatening a host-country official and accepting improper gifts to leveraging her position for personal financial gain. One report, citing text messages, alleges Guilfoyle asked a prominent Trump donor to settle a $100,000 credit card bill shortly before her confirmation hearing in exchange for access to administration officials.
Rubio’s frustration has been particularly acute. He visited Athens just last week, a trip intended to underscore the strategic importance of the US-Greece relationship. Instead, the visit was overshadowed by the swirling controversy. Guilfoyle attended nearly every event on the secretary’s itinerary, greeting him on the tarmac with a bear hug even as the latest allegations broke. A second US official confirmed the state department’s inspector general has opened a preliminary inquiry into the complaints, though it remains unclear if this will escalate into a formal investigation that could trigger disciplinary proceedings.
From Defence to Silence
The secretary’s public posture has shifted dramatically in a matter of days. On Wednesday, standing alongside the ambassador, Rubio offered a full-throated defence: “Our ambassador has been a strong ambassador here.” By Thursday, his patience had evaporated. Confronted by reporters at the foot of his plane before departing for Portugal — with Guilfoyle watching — he lashed out at the press corps.
“You guys walk around thinking that because some source told you something and you reported it, it’s the gospel,” Rubio said. “It’s not the gospel. It’s not the gospel for me. That’s not the way we do things.”
The outburst signalled a man who realises the political cost of standing by a compromised appointee is rising by the hour. Privately, aides say Rubio feels blindsided; the allegations were not flagged during the vetting process, and their volume suggests a pattern of behaviour rather than isolated lapses.
Bipartisan Pressure Builds
Capitol Hill is not waiting for the administration to act. The top Democrats on the key foreign policy committees — Representative Gregory Meeks of New York on the House side and Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire in the Senate — have both demanded a full investigation. They are joined by Representative Robert Garcia of California, the ranking member on the House oversight panel, who characterised the reports as “deeply troubling” and called for immediate accountability.
Republican leadership has been conspicuously quiet. While no GOP lawmaker has publicly defended Guilfoyle’s alleged conduct, few are eager to cross a president who values loyalty above all else. The silence from the right underscores the political tightrope: condemn the ambassador and risk Trump’s wrath; stay silent and cede the oversight narrative to Democrats ahead of the midterms.
The Making of a Controversy
Guilfoyle’s background — former Fox News host, California prosecutor, and once-engaged to Donald Trump Jr. — made her a natural fit for Trump’s world. But the skills that serve a cable news personality do not always translate to the chancery. The Daily Mail reported she has alienated career staff at the embassy, creating a toxic workplace environment that has driven several diplomats to request transfers.
One former embassy official, granted anonymity to speak candidly, described a mission “paralysed by chaos.” The source alleged Guilfoyle routinely bypassed the country team, preferring to conduct policy through a tight circle of political appointees and outside advisers with commercial interests in Greece. “She treated the embassy like a production studio,” the source said. “The difference is, in a studio, if you blow a take, you do it again. In diplomacy, there are no second takes.”
The Journal also detailed an episode at the World Economic Forum in Davos where Guilfoyle reportedly demanded entry to a Greek-themed event she had not been invited to, boasting of luxury travel with energy executives. Such behaviour, if confirmed, would violate the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act and standard ethical guidelines for senior officials.
Why it Matters
The Guilfoyle affair is more than a personnel dispute; it is a stress test for an administration that has consistently prioritised personal loyalty over institutional guardrails. If Trump and Rubio fire her, they admit their vetting failed and hand Democrats a potent talking point about cronyism. If they keep her, they signal that the standards governing the nation’s chief diplomats are negotiable — a message that will be heard clearly in Athens, Ankara, and every other capital where US credibility is on the line. The decision, expected within days, will reveal whether this White House is capable of self-correction or whether the protective instinct around the president’s inner circle remains absolute.