President Donald Trump has asked one of his administration’s top diplomats to step down following reports of a major scandal brewing.
Kimberly Guilfoyle, his son Donald Trump Jr.’s one-time fiancée and now ex-U.S. Ambassador to Greece, has landed in the spotlight for all of the wrong reasons.
The administration asked Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign following allegations that she attempted to obtain $100,000 from a major Republican donor in exchange for access to influential administration officials.
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The announcement Tuesday came as senior Republicans signaled that the former Fox News personality could face a congressional investigation into allegations of influence peddling.
White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia confirmed the administration’s decision during her first briefing Tuesday morning.
“We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign,” Zacharia told reporters. “She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well.”
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The development follows a Wall Street Journal investigation alleging that Guilfoyle pressured Trump donor Eric Deters to pay a $100,000 American Express bill shortly before her Senate confirmation hearing in 2025.
Guilfoyle has denied wrongdoing through her attorneys, who dispute the allegations and maintain that the money involved legitimate professional services.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., expressed concern about the allegations during an appearance on CBS News’ Face the Nation.
“What we’ve seen in the reports is very troubling, it’s concerning,” Barrasso said.
His remarks raised the possibility of a formal Senate investigation into Guilfoyle’s conduct.
However, no new Senate investigation specifically addressing the $100,000 allegation had been publicly announced.
Democratic lawmakers have already requested scrutiny of other allegations involving Guilfoyle’s diplomatic activities.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, previously asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to review reports that Guilfoyle improperly promoted private business interests while serving in Greece.
The controversy intensified after The Wall Street Journal published messages allegedly exchanged between Guilfoyle and Deters, a longtime Trump supporter and political donor.
According to the newspaper, Guilfoyle asked Deters to send $100,000 directly to American Express to cover personal credit card expenses.
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The request allegedly occurred shortly before her Senate confirmation hearing.
The Journal reported that Guilfoyle suggested the transaction could be completed without leaving a paper trail.
Deters also alleged that Guilfoyle offered to help him obtain access to senior Trump administration officials. He told reporters that he ultimately refused to make the payment.
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Guilfoyle’s attorney, Jesse Binnall, challenged the authenticity of the messages.
Her legal representatives also maintained that Guilfoyle was seeking payment for speaking engagements and other professional work performed before her diplomatic appointment.
The competing accounts have not been resolved through a public legal proceeding.
The credit card controversy follows separate reports concerning Guilfoyle’s conduct as ambassador.
Published allegations include accepting inappropriate gifts, receiving luxury travel accommodations and promoting the commercial interests of certain Greek businesses.
Reports have also questioned her relationship with representatives of Aktor Group, a Greek construction and energy company.
The Wall Street Journal reported that a registered lobbyist associated with the company accompanied Guilfoyle to meetings involving government officials.
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Critics have questioned whether those arrangements created conflicts of interest.
The State Department’s inspector general has reportedly been examining allegations involving Guilfoyle and the U.S. Embassy in Athens.
Guilfoyle has denied wrongdoing, and the allegations have not resulted in publicly announced criminal charges.
Trump acknowledged Monday that his administration was considering removing Guilfoyle. “Well, we’re looking at it,” the president told reporters when asked about her future. “Yeah, we’re not happy.”
The remarks represented a notable shift from the administration’s earlier public defense of the ambassador.
Rubio had previously praised Guilfoyle’s diplomatic work but rejected suggestions that published allegations should automatically be accepted as fact.
“You guys walk around thinking that because some source told you something, and you reported it, it’s the gospel,” Rubio told reporters during a trip to Athens last week. “It’s not the gospel.”
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
