White House asks Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign

The White House has asked Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign as U.S. ambassador to Greece amid scrutiny of her conduct and an investigation by the State Department’s inspector general.

“We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign,” press secretary Katie Zacharia said Tuesday at her first White House briefing. “She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well.” Zacharia gave no further explanation.

Guilfoyle, 57, is a former fiancée of Donald Trump Jr. and was a prominent surrogate for President Donald Trump’s campaign. Two people familiar with the matter confirmed to NBC News last week that the State Department’s Inspector General’s Office was investigating her.

The scrutiny includes an allegation that Guilfoyle asked businessman and Trump donor Eric Deters to pay a $100,000 American Express bill before her 2025 Senate confirmation hearing. Deters said he did not pay it. He told CBS News that Guilfoyle asked him in July 2025 to wire the money to her American Express account so the payment would not appear on her financial disclosures. He said he had sought her help gaining access to administration officials, including the attorney general and IRS commissioner.

“She was so desperate for that $100,000. It was a quid pro quo,” Deters told NBC News. “She said I could ask her for anything and everything in Trump world. There was no request too big.”

A text message Deters provided appeared to show Guilfoyle instructing him to wire the money directly to American Express because “it won’t show up anywhere” that way, NBC News reported. CBS News reported that White House officials were told the messages between the two were authentic. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the messages, according to CBS News.

Guilfoyle’s attorneys, David Schwartz and Jesse Binnall, said Monday that Deters owed her the money for speaking engagements. Deters denies owing her the money.

The Wall Street Journal also reported allegations involving Guilfoyle’s travel, including that she boasted about connections to Greek tycoons who she said funded luxury trips for her. NBC News said it had not independently confirmed those allegations. Guilfoyle’s attorneys denied travel-related impropriety, saying she “sought, obtained and followed State Department guidance and followed the Department’s travel regulations.” The Guardian reported that the Journal’s account also included allegations of a threat to a host-country official and acceptance of improper gifts and services.

Trump said Friday that he knew little about the reports and that Guilfoyle “was always very nice.” By Monday, asked if he was considering firing her, he said: “We’re looking at it. We’re not happy.”

Vice President JD Vance urged against judging Guilfoyle before the facts were established. “We don’t try people in the court of public opinion,” he said last week. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, asked about the allegations while with Guilfoyle in Athens, said he did not know whether the reporting was true.