Rubio pushes back on press questions about Guilfoyle allegations

Mixed · 2Secretary of State Marco Rubio reacted strongly on Thursday to reporters' questions about allegations against Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece. 1 2 Right · 1The Washington Examiner says the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Guilfoyle asked a political ally to pay $100,000 in credit card debt before she became ambassador, promising to link the benefactor with political officials. 2 Right · 1A later Daily Mail report claimed the State Department's Office of Inspector General is investigating the ambassador over workplace conduct; the Examiner relays this as a claim and it is not independently confirmed in the coverage. 2

Right · 1Rubio told the press pool he knew of the Journal report but did not know whether it was true, and said he would not respond to reporting through the press, calling the pattern of questions a "game". 2 Right · 1The Examiner reports the allegations involve Trump donor Eric Deters, who confirmed the message exchange to MS Now and called Guilfoyle "a grifter"; one message supplied to the Journal reads, "It won't show up anywhere if you wire money to American Express." 2 Right · 1A day earlier, at a press conference with the Greek foreign minister, Rubio had praised the embassy and said Guilfoyle had been "a strong ambassador here". 2

Right · 1Rubio then travelled to Portugal, where he met Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel. 2