US ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle – the former fiancée of one of President Donald Trump’s sons – has resigned at the request of the White House but labelled numerous allegations of questionable behaviour as “false”.
White House press secretary Katie Zacharia confirmed the much-speculated move in her first press briefing in the new role on Tuesday (early Wednesday AEDT).
Kimberly Guilfoyle is under scrutiny over her actions as ambassador to Greece. Mark Schiefelbein/POOL AP via AP
“We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign,” the former conservative commenter and regular Fox News guest said.
“She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well.”
On Monday (Tuesday AEDT), US President Donald Trump had said he was “looking at” firing Guilfoyle, who almost became his daughter-in-law before splitting with Donald Trump Jr in 2024.
“We’re not happy.”
White House press secretary Katie Zacharia speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Tuesday. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
In the past week, numerous allegations of questionable behaviour from Guilfoyle have emerged.
Guilfoyle has rejected all allegations of improper conduct.
“These allegations are false, and I intend to vigorously defend my name, my reputation, and my integrity,” she said in a post to X shortly after her resignation was announced.
”I have dedicated my professional life to fighting for justice, standing up for what is right, and defending the values that make America exceptional.
“I will not allow false accusations to define my decades of public service.”
Guilfoyle pledged to remain a loyal Trump supporter even after leaving the job.
Trump briefly commented on the resignation in a short meeting with reporters outside the White House.
Trump briefly addressed the resignation on Tuesday. AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta
“She went to Greece, she was doing a good job, but we didn’t like what we were reading,” he said.
According to reports, when Guilfoyle was on holiday in Mykonos she reached out to a member of her security detail at 4am to get her some ice.
When he did not reply, she reportedly demoted him.
She also begged prominent Trump donor Eric Deters to pay her $140,000 credit card bill in a series of text messages just before she was appointed the US Ambassador to Greece, US media reported.
Guilfoyle sent a PDF with instructions of how to pay the bill to American Express.
“Honey please I need you to get this done for me today,” she wrote on July 3 last year.
“You could just send it here.”
Deters told Guilfoyle that if he sent her the money it would cost him his marriage.
Days later, Guilfoyle was confirmed as the US ambassador to Greece.
She also reportedly messaged Deters rebuking him for sending her texts rather than using an untraceable phone app.
Donald Trump Jr and his then-fiancee, Kimberly Guilfoyle, at the 2024 Republican National Convention. nna\NPearson
In a statement, her lawyers claimed Deters owed her that money from speaking engagements and consulting work she had done.
“Asking a client to pay for work already done is not corruption,” the statement said.
“It is the opposite of corruption.”
The statement described Deters as a “delinquent client”.
Engaged to Trump Jr for three years, Guilfoyle was a prominent advocate for the president and a high-profile member of the family.
Before her relationship to Trump Jr, she was married to now-California Governor Gavin Newsom until their split in 2006.
Trump Jr remarried earlier this year.
Guilfoyle is also under scrutiny over her connection to Greek lobbyists.
Guilfoyle has been named ambassador to Greece. AP
Meanwhile, a former executive editor at Fox News has lambasted the company for ignoring the story.
In a lengthy post on X, Ken LaCorte described the website’s ignoring of the story as “journalistic malpractice”.
“And to be clear, this isn’t a simple ‘mistake’ by Fox. It’s not a biased headline or muddled article,” LaCorte said.
“It’s a conscious choice to ignore a major story that has been reported worldwide by every major news outlet.”