White House Asks Kimberly Guilfoyle to Resign as Greece Ambassador. She Denies Allegations Reported by the WSJ

Five days after The Wall Street Journal's Oct. 8 report on Kimberly Guilfoyle's dealings with a Trump donor, the White House has asked the U.S. ambassador to Greece to resign.

Press secretary Katie Zacharia made the announcement at her first briefing, Tuesday, Oct. 13, in answer to a reporter's question. "We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign," Zacharia said. "She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well."

Guilfoyle then posted a statement on X. "While my time as Ambassador may be coming to an end, my commitment to President Trump, the America First movement, and the country I love will never end," she wrote. She called the post "the honor of a lifetime."

She also said the allegations "are false, and I intend to vigorously defend my name, my reputation, and my integrity."

What the Journal reported

The central allegation involves Eric Deters, a Trump supporter and donor. Citing Signal messages, the Journal reported that in July 2025, days before her July 9 Senate confirmation hearing, Guilfoyle pressed Deters to wire $100,000 to pay off an American Express bill. According to the messages, she told him the transfer would not show up anywhere.

Deters says Guilfoyle offered access to senior administration officials in return. He told MS Now the request "absolutely was a quid pro quo." He did not make the payment, saying he lacked the liquid assets at the time. He also says he paid Guilfoyle about $300,000 over the years without receiving "one favor."

The Journal also reported that Guilfoyle told Deters she had contacted the IRS commissioner and the Justice Department on his behalf. It reported she worried about the messages becoming public, writing: "What a nightmare you'll literally cost me my ambassadorship stop writing."

A series of Journal stories dating to late September added further claims. They allege she accepted improper gifts and services, including luxury travel, and made a threat to a host-country official. They also allege she promoted the interests of the Greek company Aktor and let one of its lobbyists sit in on private diplomatic meetings. At a reception, the Journal reported, she said she could use U.S. influence against the Greek government.

These are the Journal's allegations and Deters' account. No charge has been filed, and no official finding of wrongdoing has been announced.

Guilfoyle's defense

Guilfoyle's lawyers, David Schwartz and Jesse Binnall, say the money was owed for earlier speaking engagements and public appearances that predate her nomination. They say Deters' claims are false.

"When Ms. Guilfoyle was preparing to leave private life for public service, she did what any professional does and tried to close out her outstanding receivables," the lawyers said in a statement. "Asking a client to pay for work already done is not corruption. It is the opposite of corruption."

Binnall also disputes the authenticity of the messages the Journal cited. On the private-plane travel, the lawyers say she sought and followed State Department guidance before every trip. The U.S. Embassy in Athens said she followed State Department ethics and gift-reporting guidelines.

A person familiar with the matter told CNN that Guilfoyle denied to administration officials last week that she sent the messages.

How the White House position moved

Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in Athens on Oct. 7 for a speech on Western democracy delivered from the Acropolis. He called Guilfoyle "a strong ambassador." The Journal's report landed the next day, in the middle of that trip. Rubio later declined to comment on the allegations.

The Associated Press, citing a senior U.S. official, reported over the weekend that Trump and Rubio were "extremely pissed off" and would likely decide her future this week.

On Friday, Trump told CNN: "I just heard about it. Too bad. I mean, I don't know... she was always very nice." On Monday he said of a possible firing, "We're looking at it. We're not happy."

On Tuesday he said he had not spoken with her. "She was doing a good job, but we didn't like what we were reading," he said.

The administration acted on press reports and has not cited any internal finding.

Background and what's pending

Guilfoyle, 57, is a former Fox News host and San Francisco prosecutor. She was engaged to Donald Trump Jr. for about four years. Trump nominated her in December 2024, and the Senate confirmed her in September 2025.

The State Department's Office of Inspector General is looking at the allegations. A source familiar with the effort told CNN it is an investigation. An unnamed U.S. official told the AP it is a review, and it is unclear whether a formal investigation has opened. The OIG's policy is not to confirm or comment on investigative matters.

What remains unclear is what the inspector general finds, including whether it examines the Deters messages and the travel and gifts. Guilfoyle has said she will defend herself. Whether any of the claims face a legal test beyond that review has not been announced.