President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Kimberly Guilfoyle, officially his eldest son’s fiancée, as Ambassador to Greece is drawing outrage as she becomes the latest in a line of what some are likening to cronyism and nepotism appointments of Trump allies with little relevant experience for the posts. Others are noting her reported history of alleged sexual harassment, and some are questioning the timing after reports that her engagement to Donald Trump Jr. may be over.
Guilfoyle, 55, was head of a Trump 2020 campaign fundraising operation that came under fire for alleged mismanagement and “irresponsible” spending. A former Fox News host, she was “forced” out, according to The New Yorker, after a sexual harassment investigation, and “abruptly” left the right-wing network.
“Guilfoyle, however, may not be an ideal emissary,” reported Jane Mayer at The New Yorker, one month before the 2020 presidential election Trump lost, referring to her status as one of several “female stars in the Republican Party” Trump was promoting.
The former assistant who filed the sexual harassment complaint against Guilfoyle, The New Yorker reported, “was hired in 2015, just out of college, to work as an assistant for Guilfoyle and another former Fox host, Eric Bolling. According to a dozen well-informed sources familiar with her complaints, the assistant alleged that Guilfoyle, her direct supervisor, subjected her frequently to degrading, abusive, and sexually inappropriate behavior; among other things, she said that she was frequently required to work at Guilfoyle’s New York apartment while the Fox host displayed herself naked, and was shown photographs of the genitalia of men with whom Guilfoyle had had sexual relations.”
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“The draft complaint also alleged that Guilfoyle spoke incessantly and luridly about her sex life, and on one occasion demanded a massage of her bare thighs; other times, she said, Guilfoyle told her to submit to a Fox employee’s demands for sexual favors, encouraged her to sleep with wealthy and powerful men, asked her to critique her naked body, demanded that she share a room with her on business trips, required her to sleep over at her apartment, and exposed herself to her, making her feel deeply uncomfortable.”
On Tuesday evening, the President-elect wrote, “I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Kimberly Guilfoyle as the United States Ambassador to Greece. For many years, Kimberly has been a close friend and ally. Her extensive experience and leadership in law, media, and politics along with her sharp intellect make her supremely qualified to represent the United States, and safeguard its interests abroad.”
Trump described her as “perfectly suited to foster strong bilateral relations with Greece, advancing our interests on issues ranging from defense cooperation to trade and economic innovation.”
Guilfoyle was praised by the President-elect’s eldest son.
“I am so proud of Kimberly. She loves America and she always has wanted to serve the country as an Ambassador. She will be an amazing leader for America First,” he wrote, not mentioning their relationship.
But The New York Times did, and extensively.
The timing of the announcement of Guilfoyle’s nomination “would have been unremarkable except for what preceded it: rumors that the president-elect’s eldest son was dating a socialite, Bettina Anderson.”
“The new relationship was seemingly documented in a series of photos published earlier on Tuesday by the British tabloid The Daily Mail, which described them as ‘incontrovertible proof the soon-to-be First Son has moved on’ with a ‘stunning ‘it girl.’ “
“The suggestions of a love triangle have been swirling for several months, including in July, at the Republican National Convention, where Ms. Anderson was spotted sitting behind Mr. Trump — and Ms. Guilfoyle — in a red dress,” The Times reports, noting that “speculation about Ms. Anderson’s closeness with the president-elect’s son intensified in September, with reports that the pair were seen kissing during a brunch not long before. (Adding a layer of intrigue were various reports that Ms. Anderson was a friend of his ex-wife, Vanessa Trump, with whom he shares five children.)”
The Times also reports that “Guilfoyle did not appear in a post-election family portrait, which did feature Vanessa Trump and their children. (Melania Trump — the once and future first lady — was also absent, though the photo did feature Elon Musk.)”
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Critics are blasting the nomination of Guilfoyle, likening it to nepotism, and noting Trump has already nominated other family members to his incoming administration. During his first term Trump appointed his daughter and son-in-law to top White House advisory posts.
“Nepotism concerns notwithstanding, shipping someone overseas to live in a taxpayer-funded villa is an admittedly elegant solution for getting a potential ex out of sight and out of mind. The Greek ambassador’s residence even has a pool,” The Daily Beast reports.
“Sending Guilfoyle to Greece is an amazing twofer: sort of nepotism, but also doing your son a solid by sending his loud ex-girlfriend to another continent,” snarked Professor of Public Policy Don Moynihan.
“The disgusting cronyism (arguably nepotism) continues: insurrectionist Trump family member Kimberly Guilfoyle is nominated by her future father-in-law to be Ambassador to Greece. She has no qualifications for the position,” claimed attorney and journalist Seth Abramson.
“With Charles Kushner to France, Kimberly Guilfoyle to Greece and Massad Boulos as Senior Advisor on Middle Eastern Affairs, that makes three Trump extended family members with plum government jobs,” notes Democratic strategist Max Burns.
“Ambassadors are supposed to have some connection to (or at least deep knowledge of) the country to which they are appointed. Trainwreck Kimberly Guilfoyle? Is her qualification that she once visited the Greek Islands on vacation? What a joke,” exclaimed A.J. Delgado, an attorney and political commentator who worked as a senior advisor on Trump’s 2016 campaign.
Some also noted Guilfoyle’s involvement in the January 6, 2021 “Save America” rally at the Ellipse, where she and other Trump allies spoke ahead of Donald Trump’s infamous speech declaring they would “walk to the Capitol.”
Media Matters’ senior fellow Matthew Gertz noted that “Trump has picked 13 former Foxers to staff his next administration — so far,” naming them, including Guilfoyle.
He also adds some background on Guilfoyle’s commentary on Greek politics: