The White House has forced the resignation of the United States ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, after various reports emerged pointing to her for alleged corruption and influence peddling, according to CNN. The departure of the diplomat, who was the partner of President Donald Trump's eldest son, represents the swift downfall of a highly visible figure within the conservative movement, removed from her position by direct order of the U.S. Administration.
The resignation is framed within a scandal revealed by several media outlets. According to these reports, Guilfoyle allegedly demanded financial payments in exchange for facilitating access to high-ranking government officials before formally assuming her position. Among the accusations stands out the request for $100,000 (89,200 euros) from a Republican donor to cover a personal bill -- a detail that the affected party confirmed to the mentioned television network -- in addition to receiving valuable gifts and the participation of lobbyists in official meetings, practices that had already been warned about by the newspaper "The Wall Street Journal."
President Trump has defended the decision to remove her, admitting his discomfort with the journalistic revelations, while trying to distance himself by emphasizing that Guilfoyle "was not a member" of his family and that she only had a relationship with his son "a long time ago."
Guilfoyle, for her part, has released a statement on social media in which she describes the accusations as "false" and claims that she will defend "her name, her reputation, and her integrity." The diplomat — whose lawyers argue that the request for money was related to the legitimate collection of debts for consulting work prior to her appointment — has avoided direct confrontation with the White House. In her message, she expressed her gratitude and "unwavering" respect towards Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also claiming her results in the region regarding energy independence and strengthening NATO security.
Despite her departure from office, the oversight of Guilfoyle's actions is still ongoing. Sources familiar with the case have confirmed to the same network that the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of State has an open investigation into the alleged irregularities, while the Democratic opposition in Congress has demanded that she appear before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, reminding that her resignation "does not exempt her from accountability" for allegedly enriching herself by taking advantage of her official position.
"Guilfoyle took advantage of her position as a Trump official to enrich herself, while American families struggle with the cost of living. Congress must oversee how this happened and hold the administration accountable," the committee has stated in a social media post.