Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are considering firing US ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle after a series of Wall Street Journal reports alleging improper and possibly illegal conduct before and during her tenure in Athens.
A senior US official said on Sunday that Trump and Rubio are "extremely pissed off" by Guilfoyle's reported conduct and will likely decide on action this week after Monday's federal holiday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. A second US official said the State Department's inspector general is looking into the allegations, which first surfaced in the Journal in late September and have since multiplied. It is not known whether a formal investigation has begun.
Rubio has been particularly angry, the first official said, having visited Athens last week as the allegations swirled. Guilfoyle attended most of his events and greeted him on arrival with a bear hug.
The Journal has reported that Guilfoyle allegedly threatened a host country official, accepted improper gifts and services, and offered to use her influence inside the administration in return for payment of a large credit card bill. Citing text messages, the paper reported she asked a Trump donor and supporter to pay a $100,000 credit card bill.
Guilfoyle has not addressed the reports directly. Her lawyer has said she did nothing wrong, and the US embassy in Athens has tacitly expressed support for her.
Rubio defended Guilfoyle after the first report, saying "our ambassador has been a strong ambassador here." After another report appeared late Wednesday, he berated journalists in Athens, saying he did not know whether the allegations were true. "You guys walk around thinking that because some source told you something and you reported it, it's the gospel. It's not the gospel," Rubio said at the foot of his plane as Guilfoyle looked on.
Democratic lawmakers, including Representative Gregory Meeks of New York, Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Representative Robert Garcia of California, have called for an investigation.
The Journal's first report said Guilfoyle told guests at a reception that the US could undermine the Greek government if it chose to, promoted the business interests of one Greek construction and energy company, and allowed its lobbyist into private diplomatic meetings.