U.S. Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle criticised in Greece after alleged interference remark

U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle has come under intense scrutiny in Athens after a high-profile newspaper reported she allegedly suggested during a March dinner that the United States could engineer a change of government in Greece if it wished. The report, published on 25 September, prompted denials from the ambassador and a delayed response from the Greek government, while opposition parties demanded fuller explanations.

Allegations, denials and corroboration

According to the report, Guilfoyle made the remark at a private dinner attended by, among others, Greece’s energy minister Stavros Papastavrou. Quoted in the story, the ambassador allegedly said: "We can do that with any country in which we want to do it - we can do it here." The report says Papastavrou replied that the United States could not replace a government chosen by the people, and that the exchange escalated into a heated verbal confrontation.

Two weeks after the Athens dinner, the ambassador travelled to Bucharest; months later the Romanian governing coalition collapsed. The report notes there is no evidence the United States influenced that outcome — nor is there proof to the contrary. After the article appeared on 25 September, Guilfoyle, through her lawyer, denied the account. The Greek government publicly dismissed the allegations only three days later, with government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis stating there had been no threat against the government and adding that "Such a thing will never be tolerated." Financial Times reporting said it had independently confirmed the substance of the account through its own source.

Guilfoyle’s term in Athens has already drawn widespread media attention. U.S. outlets described her as a prominent figure in Athens since her appointment late in 2025, and she has been visible at social events, including a November 2024 gala and a Vogue Greece cover in November 2025. The reports describe Guilfoyle, 56, as a former prosecutor and former Fox News presenter with close ties to the U.S. president; they say she maintains direct contacts with several Greek ministers and has taken an active public interest in commercial projects — notably in energy and port developments.

One recurring focus has been the port of Piraeus. During Greece’s financial crisis the port was leased for 35 years to the Chinese state company COSCO, giving Beijing control of a key Mediterranean hub. The ambassador has been reported as pushing for construction of an alternative port to "counter Chinese interests in Piraeus," saying she would press the issue "day and night" and "without apology." She also publicly supports the so-called "vertical corridor" that would carry U.S. liquefied natural gas through Greece to the rest of Europe — a project Athens endorses as strengthening energy security.

Opposition parties reacted angrily to what they saw as an insufficient response from the government. The Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) stressed that Greece is an "independent and sovereign democracy," while the left-wing coalition ELAS warned against treating the United States as an automatic ally and urged clearly defined "red lines." The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) reiterated its opposition to U.S.-backed LNG plans and announced demonstrations to coincide with the scheduled visit of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Athens from 6 to 8 October. Independent MP Alexis Haritsis wrote on platform X: "A country does not become geopolitically stronger by increasing its dependence on a great power, especially when that great power openly replaces diplomacy with economic interests."

Photo: press material from the event