In the days before she was pushed out as U.S. ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle tasked State Department officials with getting a news story about her unpaid restaurant bill taken down.
Ahead of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s trip to Greece last week, the embattled ambassador asked officials whether they could get the Daily Mail to delete an exclusive report about a $1,768 tab she allegedly refused to pay, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Officials asked her to provide a receipt showing she had paid for the meal herself, but she didn’t produce one.
The Daily Mail had reported that Guilfoyle ran up the bill for dinner and two cases of Champagne on May 31 at Matsuhisa, a restaurant inside the Four Seasons Astir Palace in Vouliagmeni, a wealthy enclave south of Athens. She was joined by her son, Ronan, and his father, Eric Villency.
According to the Daily Mail, one of Guilfoyle’s aides called the restaurant to object when the bill arrived. The aide insisted the meal was supposed to be free and that the ambassador wouldn’t be paying. Sources told the outlet the bill was eventually sent to the U.S. Embassy.
White House press secretary Katie Zacharia announced Guilfoyle’s resignation Tuesday, ending a tenure of nearly a year that was marked by controversy.
Her departure follows a State Department inspector general investigation launched last week. Sources told the Daily Mail the probe is looking into allegations of possible substance abuse, unauthorized travel on private jets and helicopters, improper acceptance of gifts and a close relationship with an energy and construction firm.
Guilfoyle denied wrongdoing in a statement on X, calling the allegations “false” and vowing to “vigorously defend my name, my reputation, and my integrity.”
The Journal also reported on text messages in which Guilfoyle pressed Kentucky former attorney Eric Deters to pay off her $100,000 American Express bill shortly before her July 2025 confirmation hearing. Deters claimed she offered him access to top Trump officials in exchange, but he has stated he did not pay and was not granted favors he expected from past payments.
Embassy staff described a “toxic” workplace to the Daily Mail. In one alleged outburst, Guilfoyle screamed: “F---ing get it done or you’re f---ing fired.”
Zacharia didn’t say who might replace her.