Kimberly Guilfoyle, the United States ambassador to Greece who allegedly pressured Romania and other Balkan states to purchase liquefied natural gas from the US through Greek intermediaries via the Vertical Corridor, resigned on Tuesday, October 13.
In a message published on X, Guilfoyle said that serving as US ambassador to Greece was “the honor of a lifetime” and thanked president Donald Trump and secretary of state Marco Rubio for their trust.
“I want to address the recent allegations against me. These allegations are false, and I intend to vigorously defend my name, my reputation, and my integrity. 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,” Kimberly Guilfoyle said.
The ambassador said that during her tenure, she secured agreements to expand U.S. liquefied natural gas exports to Europe and advanced the Vertical Corridor, a project intended to diversify supply routes and reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian energy.
https://x.com/kimguilfoyle/status/2110027236971855908
She reaffirmed her support for the White House leader despite the administration’s decision to ask her to resign.
Guilfoyle, who was previously engaged to Donald Trump Jr., has been at the center of a scandal following statements attributed to her by The Wall Street Journal regarding Washington’s ability to influence the fall of governments, including the government led by Ilie Bolojan.
In recent days, however, Eric Deters, a former Trump donor, claimed that Guilfoyle asked him in a message to transfer USD 100,000 to pay an American Express bill before her appointment was confirmed by the Senate. Deters claimed that in return, Guilfoyle promised to be an unwavering ally within the Trump administration. He did not transfer the money.
The diplomat’s lawyers offered a different account, stating that Deters owed her money for speeches and consulting work performed before she entered public service. They described his claims as false and argued that requesting payment for services already rendered does not constitute corruption.
The controversy has also prompted reactions in Congress. Democrat Gregory Meeks, the party’s leading representative on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called for the ambassador to testify and for clarification regarding any requests for money made to other individuals.
Back in Romania, Social Democratic (PSD) leader Sorin Grindeanu, who met with Guilfoyle for a dinner in Bucharest prior to the dismissal of the Liberal-led Bolojan government, denied following her instructions in the matter.
“Not for a second did we discuss Romania’s governments. It was March, and the government fell on May 5,” Sorin Grindeanu said, cited by News.ro.
The PSD leader said that the meeting with the US ambassador to Greece took place before the party’s internal consultation.
“Even if the ambassador had told me not to replace Bolojan, we had not yet held our internal debate; the vote took place on April 21. And even if the ambassador had told me - don’t replace Bolojan - I would have done it anyway,” he said.