The Guilfoyle Scandals Finally Caught Up With Her – Mother Jones

Kimberly Guilfoyle, the embattled US ambassador to Greece, resigned from her post on Tuesday amid multiple alleged instances of corruption. 

“These allegations are false, and I intend to vigorously defend my name, my reputation, and my integrity,” Guilfoyle wrote in her resignation announcement. “I have dedicated my professional life to fighting for justice, standing up for what is right, and defending the values that make America exceptional. I will not allow false accusations to define my decades of public service.”

Just hours earlier, Katie Zacharia, Trump’s new press secretary, announced in her first press conference that the White House had asked Guilfoyle to resign.

“We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign. She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well,” Zacharia said. She did not answer a question on potential replacements.

According to two reports by the Wall Street Journal last week, Eric Deters, a Republican donor, accused Guilfoyle of repeatedly pressuring him to send $100,000 to her so that she could pay off her American Express bill. In what he described as a “quid pro quo” deal in an interview with MS NOW following the first report, Deters was supposed to receive political favors in return. 

As my colleague Inae Oh highlighted on Sunday, these favors included meetings with multiple senior Trump administration officials, an introduction to music artist and MAGA personality Kid Rock, and help with his “personal tax and legal issues,” but Guilfoyle never followed through. (Deters did not send over the $100,000, as he said he told Guilfoyle the payment would end his marriage.)

On Monday, Deters told CNN that he plans to sue Guilfoyle and her legal team, who claimed that the Signal text message conversations Deters provided to the Wall Street Journal to support his allegations were false and that Guilfoyle was only trying to collect $150,000 in unpaid fees for previous consulting and speaking engagements. He also said they called him a “known blackmailer.”

Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host, Trump 2020 fundraising adviser, and ex-fiancée of Donald Trump Jr., who was previously married to Gavin Newsom before he became California’s governor, reportedly vexed the Trump administration. She frequently promoted business interests with energy lobbyist Christos Marafastos, and at least once threatened that the US could use its power to interfere with sovereign democratic governments like Greece. On October 1, Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) announced that he is investigating Guilfoyle’s actions.

If Guilfoyle resigns, her tenure will have lasted just 11 months.