The removal of Kimberly Guilfoyle from the US Embassy in Athens and the reasons that led the US president to take this decision represent the first major crisis within Donald Trump’s inner circle, coming just weeks before the crucial midterm elections. It is also a personal blow, as Guilfoyle has long been part of the president’s inner circle and her appointment to the Athens embassy was his personal choice.

It was clear, when the first Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports began targeting the US ambassador, that the American administration believed it could manage the situation. This was why Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, publicly backed her during his press conference in Athens last Wednesday. However, the subsequent report, which also revealed details of an alleged attempt to secure $100,000 in exchange for political favours, proved impossible to contain.

Following President Trump’s statement two days ago, it was clear that Guilfoyle’s time in Athens was running out. That is exactly what happened, with the White House’s new press secretary announcing yesterday, during her first briefing, that Guilfoyle had been asked to resign as ambassador to Athens.

BREAKING: White House: We have asked Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign. We wish her well. https://t.co/YtAYOS5lac

— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 13, 2026

As the Guilfoyle affair now draws the attention of American media, particularly outlets critical of President Trump, the key concern for Greece is to prevent this crisis within Trump’s inner circle from becoming a crisis in Greek-American relations. Athens also wants to ensure that the agreements reached during Rubio’s visit are implemented, including major energy projects, foremost among them the Vertical Gas Corridor, as well as ongoing negotiations over the arrangements required for the F-35 fighter jets to be delivered to Greece and the broader strategic relationship between the two countries.

It is equally important to ensure that the Greek-American relationship is not left with lasting “scars”. Greece must not find itself without adequate diplomatic support at a time of major regional realignments and amid specific, immediate challenges facing the country in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Dieters affair

Guilfoyle’s removal came for specific reasons. The case involving businessman Erik Dieters, from whom she allegedly sought $100,000 in exchange for intervening with government officials, not only potentially constitutes an offence under US law but also implicated a supporter and financial backer of President Trump. Most importantly, in this case, specific evidence was made public and the businessman lodged an explicit, public allegation against her.

Other allegations concerning the exercise of undue influence over the Vertical Gas Corridor in favour of particular business interests, the use of private jets, her social circles in Greece and even her conduct towards embassy staff have not been supported by evidence comparable to that presented in the case involving the American businessman.

Targeting specific projects now, particularly through criticism originating within Greece itself, simply because their announcement happened to coincide with Guilfoyle’s presence in the country, is a misguided and dangerous approach.

The agreement on the Vertical Gas Corridor and the supply of American liquefied natural gas (LNG) through the DEPA–AKTOR consortium was announced during the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy Cooperation (P-TEC) summit on 6–7 November, attended by Doug Burgum, US Secretary of the Interior and chairman of the National Energy Dominance Council, and Chris Wright, US Secretary of Energy. Guilfoyle had arrived in Athens on 1 November and presented her credentials to the President of the Hellenic Republic on 4 November, officially assuming her duties.

Decisions on the Vertical Gas Corridor, which had been in development for at least a decade, had already been taken in September, during meetings between Stavros Papastavrou, Greece’s Minister of Environment and Energy, and US Energy Secretary Chris Wright. The composition of the consortium that would undertake the project had also already been set in motion. It is clear that the decision-making process went far beyond both the remit and the capabilities of an ambassador who had been in post for only three days.

Since then, Guilfoyle has, of course, strongly supported the project. However, it is a priority of American energy and foreign policy, and any US diplomat serving at the embassy in Athens would have supported it.

What will happen with her successor?

In light of what has happened, Guilfoyle’s continued presence in Athens would have been problematic and would have become a liability for both Greece and Greek-American relations. Any move or initiative she undertook would have become entangled in the campaign against her. Moreover, an ambassador whose position had been weakened in this way could neither be effective nor, more importantly, serve as a meaningful channel of communication with Washington.

The question is whether a new ambassador will be appointed promptly or whether the current administration will follow its existing practice of leaving diplomatic posts vacant. The administration has left 92 ambassadorial positions vacant out of a total of 196 US embassies abroad, which are being run by chargés d’affaires. These include embassies in countries such as Germany, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Bolivia and Colombia, among others.

The current administration, with the exception of Rubio, has little appetite for career diplomats, while President Trump has shown a preference for appointing personal friends and businesspeople to key diplomatic positions. In the meantime, Joshua Huck, the chargé d’affaires, will take over until a new ambassador is appointed. An exceptionally experienced diplomat with a strong understanding of the region, he is well placed to manage the difficult situation inherited by the embassy and meet the demanding responsibilities of the coming period.

The outcome of the midterm elections will also influence President Trump’s next appointment. If he does not nominate a new ambassador promptly, allowing the Senate committee vetting process and full Senate confirmation to be completed before the end of the year, and if the elections give Democrats a majority in the Senate, securing approval for any nominee will be difficult amid the polarised political climate in the United States.

Another question is what will happen with the allegations against Guilfoyle, all of which she and her lawyers have rejected. An investigation is already under way at the US Department of State, although it is not yet known whether it has become a formal investigation by the Office of Inspector General.

A shift in the balance of power in Congress following the midterm elections is, however, expected to pave the way for a full investigation into the allegations published against her. The Democratic leaders of the Senate and House Foreign Affairs Committees have already called for a formal inquiry.

The reports and her removal

Guilfoyle’s removal is unprecedented in the history of US diplomacy because of the way it was handled. In the past, host governments have requested the removal of American ambassadors. In 2019, during Trump’s first term, the administration recalled Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch from Kyiv, where she had been serving, two years before the end of her term. However, this is the first time the White House has publicly asked a serving ambassador to resign.

Guilfoyle had come under scrutiny following a WSJ investigation. The first report concerned a discussion in which she allegedly suggested, referring to Romania, that the United States could overthrow governments. According to the report, the remark amounted to an indirect threat directed at the Greek Minister of Environment and Energy, Stavros Papastavrou, who was also present. Responding to a related question in Parliament, Papastavrou stressed that there had never been any question of Greece being pressured or threatened into taking any action, adding that such a situation would never be tolerated.

The reports also referred to her close relationships with Greek businesspeople. One of her associates, who accompanied her to meetings, had taken up a lobbying role for a Greek company involved in energy projects that she was promoting. There were also reports concerning her use of private jets for travel and her attendance at social events whose expenses were allegedly covered by businesspeople. Guilfoyle, however, has responded both publicly and through her lawyers, stating that she had informed the State Department of all her activities to ensure compliance with the relevant code of conduct.

Guilfoyle’s appointment had been problematic from the outset, as it appeared more like a reward for a popular Trump supporter, who had backed him since his previous term and had close ties to his family through her relationship with the president’s son, than the appointment of someone with regional expertise and experience in diplomacy and international relations. Such experience would have been particularly important for carrying out the demanding responsibilities of the post in Greece at a time of geopolitical upheaval.

Her appointment had also been compared with that of Tom Barrack, a personal friend of President Trump appointed to Ankara. With an expanded remit, Barrack has exercised considerable influence over foreign policy and, despite his pro-Turkish stance, has emerged as a key figure in shaping American policy in the Middle East.

Guilfoyle herself did little to dispel the negative impressions created by her appointment. She failed to protect the standing of the office, frequently succumbing to the temptations of a social life that appeared ill-suited to her position.

The former US ambassador did not even complete a full year as head of the American diplomatic mission in Greece. Let us hope that this chapter closes without leaving lasting scars on Greek-American relations and serves as a lesson for future appointments, particularly when it comes to choosing her successor.