Kimberly Guilfoyle resigning is not enough
As a retired U.S. diplomat and former ambassador, I was astonished at media reports that U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle requested a donor pay $100,000 to her credit card bill , as well as allegations of peddling access . Guilfoyle’s resignation Tuesday , at the White House’s request , is not enough. Congress should hold hearings at which Guilfoyle should be forced to testify, and the State Department’s Office of the Inspector General should investigate the running of her mission.
The details of the Guilfoyle saga attract attention, but the broader context cannot be overlooked.
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White House Press Secretary: ‘We have asked Guilfoyle to resign’ October 13, 2026 / 04:02
The United States has fewer than 200 ambassadorial positions , and the bar for appointment or confirmation is deservedly high. Historically, about two-thirds of ambassadors are selected from the ranks of the Foreign Service, where nominees to be the president’s personal representative to a country have spent decades learning the craft of diplomacy, leading increasingly larger groups of people and deepening their understanding of how to represent the U.S. abroad. It is a misconception that diplomats have an easy life of cocktail receptions and are quick to find agreement to tricky issues. I can say from experience that the men and women of the Foreign Service regularly deliver tough messages and are willing to put themselves in harm’s way in service of the U.S.
In nearly 30 years in the Foreign Service, I worked with many extremely qualified political appointee ambassadors. Often, their presence in a country implies a direct channel to the White House. But political appointments have traditionally been a minority of U.S. ambassadors , and they generally go to countries with more stable bilateral relationships.
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Guilfoyle scandal erupts: Trump veteran calls administration ‘most corrupt’ as WSJ exposes private jet trips October 12, 2026 / 08:20
Rather than leaning on the expertise and experience of our diplomatic corps, however, the trend in President Donald Trump’s second term is disturbing. Half of all embassies lack a sitting ambassador , and a full 80% of Trump’s nominees have been political appointees rather than career diplomats. The results of amateur diplomacy will be felt for years. Envoys with little or no experience in subject matter and those with conflicts of interest from personal business dealings are no substitute for apolitical experts who have spent decades in the field honing their craft.
Before ambassadorial nominees reach a Senate hearing, they traditionally have been vetted for possible conflicts of interest, financial security and any record of impropriety. The Wall Street Journal report on Guilfoyle’s credit card activity — which followed other Journal reports on her tenure — suggests she knew she was crossing a line when she wrote to the donor. She asked him, in writing, to stop writing about the exchange, the Journal reported, or it could “cost me my ambassadorship.” (Guilfoyle, in her resignation statement, said the allegations are false .)
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‘Honey please’: Guilfoyle reportedly pushed MAGA donor to pay $100k Amex bill October 8, 2026 / 10:22
I know something about the financial impact of rules for ambassadors. When I was going through the process for my second nomination to be U.S. ambassador to Mozambique during the Biden administration, my financial disclosure report generated some red flags that appear quaint today. My wife’s family has a limited partnership for a family farm, and there was concern that some decision I might make in Mozambique could have a direct financial impact on the corn, soybeans and cattle they have raised for generations. She spent hours on the phone explaining how a family farm works to people who were concerned that food aid programs in Mozambique would directly benefit her family. She also held a healthcare mutual fund from a rollover IRA valued at slightly more than $50,000, which she was told she had to sell within 90 days of my confirmation. My wife didn’t know what was in the fund nor did she manage the fund directly, but the fact that she had a concentration of value in one sector fund was enough to require a costly divestment — with a resulting loss in long-term gains and immediate tax payments. For those who own individual stocks, the limits are even lower, on the order of $15,000 or $25,000 depending on the type of stock. These rules are written to remove conflicts of interest, something we should all agree is important.
A public trust is exactly that: the trust the public has in government officials that their actions are in service of the public good and that individuals do not have personal stakes in the outcomes of policies they support or suggest. That’s why the rules are tough, why cash gifts are prohibited and why any gift from a nongovernment source must be less than $20 per occasion and no more than $50 in a year. By that scale, $100,000 isn’t in the same hemisphere. The gift limit from foreign governments is $525 , and gifts from any person or organization seeking action from the State Department is expressly prohibited . Zero dollars can be received .
These rules exist to protect the country from people seeking office for their own personal gain. Those of us who were fortunate enough to work our way into positions representing the U.S. abroad as ambassadors understand the honor and follow the letter and spirit of these laws, representing the U.S. without political favoritism and without focusing on personal enrichment. Those who break the public’s trust should be held accountable.
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