Kimberly Guilfoyle has resigned as the US ambassador to Greece after the White House asked her to step down. The move came after reports raised questions about her conduct and links to a Republican donor.
White House press secretary Katie Zacharia confirmed the request on Tuesday. She said Guilfoyle had been a valuable member of the team and wished her well.
President Donald Trump also spoke about the decision. He said Guilfoyle had done a good job, but he did not like what he had read in recent reports. He also played down their family ties.
Guilfoyle was once engaged to Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr. Trump told reporters that she was not a member of his family and had dated his son years ago.
Guilfoyle announced her departure in a long social media post. She said her time as ambassador was coming to an end. She also vowed to defend her name, reputation and integrity.
She rejected the claims against her and said false charges would not define her years of public service. She did not provide further details about the reports in her statement.
The controversy grew after Republican donor Eric Deters told a newspaper that Guilfoyle had asked him for $100,000. He said she wanted the money to pay off her American Express credit card shortly before her Senate confirmation hearing in July 2025.
Messages shared by Deters reportedly showed that Guilfoyle promised to support him in political circles linked to Trump if he sent the money. The reports raised concerns about whether a donor had been asked to provide personal financial help to a person seeking a senior diplomatic post.
The allegations have not been presented as a criminal finding. Guilfoyle has said she will defend herself against claims she believes are false.
Guilfoyle was among the first ambassadors chosen for Trump’s second term. Her time in Athens drew attention because of her public profile and active social life.
She appeared on the cover of Vogue Greece and attended parties across the Greek capital. Last year, she told reporters that her social activity showed her commitment to the ambassador’s role.
In her resignation statement, Guilfoyle pointed to her work on energy and security. She said she was proud of efforts to expand US liquefied natural gas exports to Europe. She also highlighted steps to strengthen defense ties with NATO partners.
However, reports about possible conflicts of interest caused frustration in Greece. Some people questioned why Washington had selected a high-profile political figure for the post.
Maria Stefanou, a 68-year-old retiree in Athens, criticized the choice. She said the appointment showed that the Trump administration placed little importance on Greece. Her comments reflected wider concern about the effect of the reports on relations between the two countries.
Greece’s foreign ministry declined to comment on Guilfoyle’s resignation. Opposition parties, however, said the case raised important questions about foreign influence and business interests in Greek politics.
Dimitris Mantzos, a spokesman for Pasok, the main center-left opposition party, said the decision to remove Guilfoyle gave weight to the concerns raised in the reports. He argued that the case pointed to a form of diplomacy based on personal and business interests rather than clear public principles.
Mantzos also said his party had asked for details about energy and defense agreements signed during a recent visit by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Guilfoyle welcomed Rubio when he arrived in Athens. The two spent much of the visit together, which is common when a senior US official travels abroad.
Rubio defended Guilfoyle when asked about the reports. He said she had been a strong ambassador. But after the report about Deters appeared shortly before his departure from Greece, Rubio declined to discuss the claims, saying the story had only just been published.
The resignation marks a sharp change in Guilfoyle’s public career. Before entering diplomatic service, she was a well-known television personality and legal analyst.
She also had a high-profile personal life. Guilfoyle married Gavin Newsom, who later became governor of California, when he was mayor of San Francisco. The couple divorced in 2006. Their marriage had once been described as one of the most glamorous unions in American politics.
Her departure now places fresh attention on the Trump administration’s choice of diplomatic officials. It also raises questions about how the United States will manage its diplomatic work in Greece as both sides seek to maintain ties on energy, defense and trade.
