Kimberly Guilfoyle, U.S. ambassador to Greece, resigns after reports alleging corruption

Kimberly Guilfoyle, U.S. ambassador to Greece, resigns after reports alleging corruption

The Wall Street Journal reported questionable conduct and possible corruption by Guilfoyle, which she denies

U.S. President Donald Trump's ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, resigned on Tuesday after allegations of improper conduct but insisted she'll "vigorously defend" herself.

Trump's administration said earlier Tuesday it had asked Guilfoyle to leave her post after she faced severe criticism over allegations she engaged in improper and possibly illegal conduct before and during her tenure in Athens.

"She went to Greece, she was doing a good job, but we didn't like what we were reading," Trump told reporters at the White House before leaving on a trip to campaign for congressional Republicans.

In a series of stories, the Wall Street Journal has reported questionable conduct by Guilfoyle, including an alleged threat to a host country official, accepting improper gifts and services and offering to use her influence inside the Republican administration in return for the payment of a large credit card bill.

Guilfoyle denied the allegations on Tuesday and vowed to "vigorously defend my name, my reputation and my integrity."

"I have dedicated my professional life to fighting for justice, standing up for what is right and defending the values that make America exceptional," she said. "I will not allow false accusations to define my decades of public service."

Guilfoyle, 57, lasted just over one year in the role, having been narrowly confirmed by the Senate in a vote that hewed close to party lines. Democrats doubted her qualifications and said the appointment smacked of patronage, as Guilfoyle had dated and once been engaged to Donald Trump Jr.

Greek, U.S. opposition parties want more info

Ahead of Tuesday's announcement, Greek opposition parties had called on the Foreign Ministry to summon Guilfoyle to respond to the allegations made against her.

"This, most importantly, is an issue of national dignity," Sia Anagnostopoulou, a former deputy foreign minister, said in parliament Friday. Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis responded that Guilfoyle had been treated "the same way as every other ambassador" and argued that an official summons had not been necessary.

On Capitol Hill, a number of Democrats serving on House and Senate committees have already called for an investigation into Guilfoyle's tenure.

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The Wall Street Journal's first report said Guilfoyle had told guests at a reception that the United States could undermine the Greek government if it chose to, promoted the business interests of one particular Greek construction and energy company and allowed its lobbyist into private diplomatic meetings.

While in Greece last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio berated journalists for asking about the allegations.

"You guys walk around thinking that because some source told you something and you reported it, it's the gospel. It's not the gospel. It's not the gospel for me. That's not the way we do things," said Rubio.

While Rubio was in Athens, the Journal reported — citing text messages — that Guilfoyle had asked a Trump donor and supporter to pay a $100,000 US credit card bill just before her confirmation hearing, promising him access to administration officials if he did.

In a statement released late Sunday, Guilfoyle's lawyers denied she had done anything wrong and claimed that the money she was seeking from a Trump donor was payment for services — public appearances and speaking engagements that predate her ambassadorial nomination — that had not been paid.

The lawyers, David Schwartz and Jesse Binnall, also rejected allegations of impropriety related to Guilfoyle's travel on private planes, saying that before every such trip she "sought, obtained and followed State Department guidance and followed the department's travel regulations."

The Journal also reported that Guilfoyle had been enraged about not being invited to a Greek-themed event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this year.

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White House press secretary Katie Zacharia, at her first media briefing Tuesday morning, said Guilfoyle "has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well."

Trump-aligned ambassadors and diplomats in his second term have ruffled feathers in a handful of countries, including Canada, where a series of provocative comments made by U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra led to a petition signed by tens of thousands of Canadians calling for his removal.

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In France, government officials accused U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner of interfering in the country's internal affairs after he sent an unsolicited letter to President Emmanuel Macron, accusing the country of not doing enough to combat antisemitism. Kushner is the father of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who has been employed by the White House in negotiations with foreign powers.

The aggressive posture of the second Trump administration concerning U.S. interests in in the North Atlantic has also led to diplomatic flaps, as when Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, serving in a special envoy role, said it was an honour to serve Trump "in this volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the U.S."

As well, Billy Long, Washington's ambassador to Iceland, apologized after joking about the country becoming the "52nd state" of the U.S.