Trump asks U.S. ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign

President Donald Trump has asked Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign as U.S. ambassador to Greece, the White House announced Tuesday, October 13, 2026, turning an internal review of her position into a formal request for her departure.

White House press secretary Katie Zacharia disclosed the decision during her first briefing. She said Guilfoyle had been an asset to the administration and wished her well. The announcement established that Trump had requested a resignation, but it was not immediately clear whether Guilfoyle had submitted one or when she would leave the post.

The move is a material change from Trump's comments one day earlier. Asked Monday whether he was considering dismissing Guilfoyle, Trump said the administration was looking at the matter and was not happy. At that point, the White House had not announced a decision.

Guilfoyle's position came under scrutiny after news reports alleged improper conduct before and during her service in Athens. The reported claims included accepting gifts or services, threatening a Greek official, promoting private business interests and seeking payment from a Trump donor while offering access to administration figures. The allegations have not been established as findings of fact.

Her lawyers, David Schwartz and Jesse Binnall, have denied wrongdoing. They said money Guilfoyle sought from a donor was compensation for public appearances and speaking engagements completed before her ambassadorial nomination. They also said she sought and followed State Department guidance before travel on private aircraft. Guilfoyle has not otherwise addressed the reports directly.

The Associated Press reported that the State Department's inspector general was looking into the allegations, citing an official who spoke on condition of anonymity about personnel matters. The official could not say whether a formal investigation had begun. The State Department has declined to confirm an inspector-general investigation publicly. An inquiry or complaint review would not itself establish misconduct.

Senior Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Oversight Committee have called for an investigation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio initially defended Guilfoyle's work as ambassador but later declined to assess allegations he said he could not verify.

Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television host who was once engaged to Donald Trump Jr. She was confirmed by the Senate and began serving as ambassador during Trump's second administration. Ambassadors serve at the president's pleasure, meaning Trump can remove an envoy without proving misconduct or waiting for an investigative finding.

The distinction between a request to resign and a completed departure remains important. Until Guilfoyle resigns or the administration removes her, the White House announcement describes the president's decision about her future rather than confirmation that the office is vacant. The administration had not announced a successor at the time of publication.

Reuters independently reported the White House announcement on Tuesday. Video carried by PBS NewsHour shows Zacharia saying that the administration asked Guilfoyle to resign, providing a direct record of the statement. Both reports followed coverage the previous day that described Trump's dissatisfaction but said no final decision had yet been announced.

Sources and image credit

Independent report on the White House decision: Reuters

Associated Press reporting and video of the press secretary's statement: PBS NewsHour

Image: U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Greece via Wikimedia Commons (public domain official portrait dated November 5, 2025; adapted to a 16:9 canvas).