State Department inspector general opens probe into Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle in Greece

Left · 2The State Department's Office of Inspector General has opened a formal investigation into Kimberly Guilfoyle, the US ambassador to Greece, and the embassy she leads, according to anonymous sources cited by the Daily Mail and NBC News. 1 2 Left · 2The Daily Mail first reported the probe, saying five officials confirmed it. Three of them said investigators are looking at allegations including possible substance abuse, use of private planes and helicopters, improper acceptance of gifts and close ties to an energy and construction company. 1 2 Left · 2The inspector general's office says it does not confirm, deny or comment on investigations, and the State Department declined to comment. Guilfoyle's attorney, Jesse Binnall, said "any implication of wrongdoing by the Ambassador is unsupported." 1 2

Left · 1Sources told the Daily Mail the embassy was a "toxic workplace". They said Guilfoyle demoted her lead security agent for not answering a 4 a.m. call, had two drivers removed from her detail, and fired her ethics manager last winter after a dispute over who paid for renovating the ambassador's residence, which wealthy Greeks reportedly funded. These accounts are anonymous and unverified. 1 Left · 2Separately, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday text messages in which Guilfoyle allegedly asked Trump donor Eric Deters to pay her $100,000 American Express bill before her 2025 confirmation. Deters told NBC News it was "a quid pro quo" for access to senior administration officials. He said he did not pay, and that one message had her telling him to wire the money straight to American Express because "it won't show up anywhere". 1 2 Left · 1Guilfoyle's attorney told the Journal she disputed the authenticity of the messages without giving specifics. 2

Left · 2Congressional Democrats have pressed Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the matter. Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote to him asking for more information. Democrats also asked about access given to energy lobbyist Christos Marafatsos and luxury travel on private aircraft. 1 2 Left · 2In Athens this week, Rubio, greeted by Guilfoyle on the tarmac, declined to address the reports at a press conference, saying "This is not the forum" and that he did not know whether the reporting was true. Vice President JD Vance said on Friday that "these are accusations" and "we don't try people in the court of public opinion". The White House had no comment. 1 2 Left · 1A senior diplomatic official told NBC News the probe set off alarm bells across the State Department and was rare, since the inspector general mainly performs routine embassy inspections. Past inspector general probes of ambassadors include Woody Johnson (UK, first Trump administration) and Jonathan Kaplan (Singapore, 2024). 2