President Donald Trump has requested the resignation of Kimberly Guilfoyle from her position as U.S. ambassador to Greece, the White House announced on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia confirmed the request during her first press briefing, stating that Guilfoyle had been an asset to the administration. The announcement followed remarks by the president on Monday, Oct. 12, in which he stated he was "not happy" and was considering dismissing her.
The request for resignation follows reports regarding a financial interaction between Guilfoyle and businessman Eric Deters. In an interview with CBS News, Deters stated that in July 2025, Guilfoyle asked him to wire $100,000 to her American Express account. Deters said the request was intended to prevent the debt from appearing on her financial disclosure forms during her Senate confirmation process.
Deters characterized the interaction as "pay to play," alleging that he had requested Guilfoyle’s assistance in obtaining access to administration officials, including the Internal Revenue Service commissioner and the attorney general. Sources familiar with the matter told CBS News that White House officials were informed the text messages between Guilfoyle and Deters were authentic. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on the correspondence.
The scale of the reported transaction involves a single $100,000 debt. If such a payment had been made by a private citizen to a government nominee to influence their official actions or hide personal liabilities from the Senate, it could trigger investigations into federal ethics laws or gift regulations. While the specific day-to-day impact on U.S. citizens is indirect, the vacancy in Athens means a high-level diplomatic post must now be filled by a new nominee, who will again be subject to the Senate's confirmation process, including financial scrutiny.
The next steps for the administration involve selecting a successor for the ambassadorship to Greece. It was not reported if Guilfoyle has officially submitted her resignation letter yet or what date her departure becomes effective. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee would be responsible for holding hearings for any new nominee proposed by the president. Further legal or ethics reviews regarding the reported text messages have not been announced by the Department of Justice or the Office of Government Ethics.