Rubio Swats Away Questions About Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle During Greece Trip

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday brushed off questions about the conduct of President Trump's ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, while on diplomatic travel in the country.

The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Guilfoyle solicited cash in exchange for influence with the Trump administration as part of an effort to pay off her debts during the confirmation process for her current post.

Last month, the Journal reported that the former Fox News host and ex-fiancee of the president's son gave preferential treatment to a Greek shipping firm, prompting Democrats to raise alarm that she is undermining U.S. policy in the region.

Responding to reporters Thursday morning, Rubio said he would not comment on the latest story, which was published Wednesday evening.

"Like, our job is not to respond every time someone decides to give the media something without any advance warning, without having any chance to look at it and see what's in there," Rubio said. "That's not the way — that's not the way you run an organization, and that's not a serious way to conduct the policy of our country."

The secretary said he did not know whether the stories about Guilfoyle are "true or not true."

"So it's just not going to work that way, and it most certainly is not going to work that way when I'm sitting in another country. All right?" he said.

The Journal's Wednesday report detailed how Guilfoyle allegedly sought $100,000 for her credit card bill from a Trump donor in a manner that would not leave a paper trail. The donor was identified as Eric Deters, a businessman and former lawyer.

"What a nightmare you'll literally cost me my ambassadorship stop writing," Guilfoyle wrote to Deters at one point, according to the report.

It was the second time during his trip that Rubio faced pointed questions about the ambassador.

On Wednesday, standing alongside Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, Rubio was asked whether Guilfoyle's involvement in energy dealings complied with State Department ethics rules.

In September, the Journal reported that the ambassador gave preferential access to a Greek energy company during multinational talks over energy infrastructure. That report also described an exchange in which Guilfoyle allegedly warned that the U.S. could bring down a foreign democratic government.
Rubio declined to engage on the matter and stood by the ambassador.

"This is not the forum where we're going to address that, as simple as that. Suffice it to say our embassy here is doing a great job. Our ambassador has been a strong ambassador here," Rubio said. "The questions you're asking me, we're not addressing those at press conferences in Greece with the foreign minister and in another country."

Democrats, meanwhile, are turning up the heat. The top Democrats on the House and Senate foreign affairs panels sent separate letters to Rubio last week expressing deep concern over the reports.

"If these reports are accurate, Ambassador Guilfoyle is unfit to represent the United States abroad and should be removed from her position," Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote on Sept. 30.