Senior Democrats in Congress are pressing the State Department to investigate US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle following a Wall Street Journal report about her conduct and energy diplomacy, even as Secretary of State Marco Rubio has publicly delivered a strong endorsement of her work.
Rep. Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, sent Rubio a letter on October 1 seeking answers about allegations involving Guilfoyle’s use of her diplomatic position and her promotion of commercial energy projects in southeastern Europe. Meeks also raised concerns over reported comments attributed to Guilfoyle about Washington’s ability to influence political developments in allied countries.
The allegations have been categorically denied by Guilfoyle and US officials who have disputed suggestions that she acted improperly.
The congressional scrutiny comes as Rubio prepares for a visit to Athens and has publicly praised Guilfoyle’s performance as ambassador. “Ambassador Guilfoyle has been an incredibly effective advocate for the President’s agenda in Greece and across Europe,” Rubio said in a statement shared by the US Embassy in Athens.
He added that President Donald Trump and he “greatly value the Ambassador’s pivotal work and leadership in the region,” particularly her efforts to advance US energy interests in Greece and southeastern Europe.
Meeks seeks answers from State Department
In an official announcement from the House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats, Meeks said he was seeking information from Rubio about Guilfoyle’s conduct after the Wall Street Journal published its investigation on September 25.
The New York congressman cited allegations that the ambassador had used her position to advance private commercial interests during official diplomatic engagements. He also focused on a reported comment attributed to Guilfoyle at a dinner in March while political developments in Romania were being discussed.
According to the reporting cited by Meeks, Guilfoyle allegedly suggested that the United States could use its influence to bring about political change in other countries, including Greece. Meeks said such a statement, if accurately reported, would raise questions about respect for the sovereignty of a NATO ally.
The House committee statement does not present the allegations as established findings, and there has been no public determination that Guilfoyle violated federal ethics rules or improperly used her diplomatic office. The Wall Street Journal reported that Guilfoyle and representatives responding on her behalf denied wrongdoing and maintained that her work has focused on advancing US policy interests.
Rubio offers strong backing for Guilfoyle
Rubio’s public response provides a sharply different assessment of Guilfoyle’s tenure in Athens. Rather than distancing himself from the ambassador following the Journal’s report, the secretary of state praised her work in Greece and across southeastern Europe.
“President Trump and I greatly value the Ambassador’s pivotal work and leadership in the region,” Rubio said.
He specifically cited Guilfoyle’s work on the Vertical Energy Corridor, a regional initiative designed to increase the movement of natural gas through southeastern and central Europe. Rubio said Guilfoyle had “successfully advanced US energy interests in Greece and across southeastern Europe” through projects including the corridor.
His remarks, reported ahead of his October 6-7 visit to Athens, place the State Department secretary firmly behind an ambassador whom congressional Democrats are asking his department to scrutinize. Rubio’s trip is expected to include meetings with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, with bilateral relations, energy cooperation and regional security among the issues on the agenda.
Energy has become central to Guilfoyle’s role in Greece
Energy policy has been one of the most visible parts of Guilfoyle’s tenure in Athens. Washington has pushed Greece to play a larger role as a gateway for American liquefied natural gas into southeastern Europe, particularly as European countries seek to reduce their reliance on Russian energy.
Guilfoyle has been a prominent advocate of that strategy. The ambassador has also participated in a number of high-profile energy and infrastructure initiatives involving Greece and the United States. Earlier this year, she attended the signing of major hydrocarbon exploration agreements between Greece, Chevron and Helleniq Energy, part of Athens’ push to develop potential offshore energy resources.
She has also been involved in Washington’s efforts to promote Elefsina as a strategic maritime and logistics alternative as the United States seeks to expand its economic and infrastructure footprint in Greece. In May, the ambassador hosted the unveiling of a Greek-US-South Korean plan to develop Elefsina into a major shipbuilding and logistics hub.
From the Trump administration’s perspective, Guilfoyle’s efforts are part of a broader US strategy to expand American energy exports, strengthen regional infrastructure and reduce dependence on Russian supplies.
Democratic lawmakers, however, want the State Department to examine whether aspects of that advocacy crossed appropriate boundaries between US foreign policy and private commercial interests. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has also sought scrutiny of Guilfoyle’s conduct.
The requests represent congressional oversight by Democratic members of the two foreign affairs committees and do not constitute a finding of wrongdoing against the ambassador.
For now, the two positions stand in clear contrast: Democrats are asking whether aspects of Guilfoyle’s conduct warrant investigation, while the Trump administration continues to publicly back her record in Greece.
Guilfoyle has become a highly visible US presence in Greece
Since taking up the post, Guilfoyle has maintained an unusually prominent public profile in Greece. She has frequently emphasized the strategic importance of US-Greek relations, defense cooperation, energy and investment.
At the US Independence Day celebration in Athens in July, Guilfoyle spoke about the depth of bilateral relations and Washington’s broader priorities in the country. She emphasized the growing ties between Greece and the United States. She has also hosted senior American officials and participated in meetings focused on security and investment.
That visibility has made the ambassador an influential figure in the expanding US-Greece relationship, but it has also placed greater attention on how she conducts her role.
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