The key facts

  • The White House asked US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign — press secretary Karoline Zakaria announced this at a briefing on October 13.
  • The Senate confirmed her in September 2025, and she arrived in Athens on November 1, meaning she served less than a year.
  • The Wall Street Journal reported a possible conflict of interest: ties to the Greek company Aktor and lobbyist Christos Maraftsos; the allegations have not been officially confirmed.

Resignation Announced at White House Briefing

The White House asked US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign. The decisive moment came on October 13 at a White House briefing: new press secretary Karoline Zakaria, at her first briefing, answering a question on the topic, said: 'We asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign. She was a very valuable member of the team, and we wish her luck.' According to the New York Times, Guilfoyle was thus effectively fired live on air.

Career and Short Tenure

The 57-year-old Guilfoyle was for many years part of President Donald Trump's inner circle. She worked as a prosecutor in San Francisco and Los Angeles, then became known as a Fox News host. She was previously married to the current Governor of California Gavin Newsom, and later was engaged to the president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr. Guilfoyle was one of the first nominees for ambassador in Trump's second term: the Senate confirmed her in September 2025, and she arrived in Athens on November 1 — meaning she served as ambassador for less than a year.

Conflict-of-Interest Reports

Guilfoyle's downfall began several weeks ago. In September, the Wall Street Journal wrote about a possible conflict of interest involving the ambassador in connection with energy deals in the Balkans, and in early October the newspaper published new materials. The main allegations can be divided into three groups, but none of them has yet been officially proven.

Ties to Greek Business

According to the WSJ, the ambassador included Christos Maraftsos — a lobbyist for the construction and energy company Aktor — in meetings with foreign officials. She also actively promoted a 20-year contract for the supply of American liquefied gas to a joint venture involving Aktor in Southeast European countries. In addition, according to the newspaper, the ambassador flew on private jets belonging to Greek businessmen. Aktor's lawyer stated that 'the ambassador always promoted US interests.'