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Guilfoyle Accused of Promoting Greek Firm While Lobbyist Shadowed Her
ReGuilfoyle Accused of Promoting Greek Firm While Lobbyist Shadowed Her
Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece, repeatedly pressed Balkan governments to work with Aktor Group, a Greek construction company, while its paid lobbyist accompanied her to meetings without disclosing his role, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece, has used her diplomatic post to promote a Greek construction company while its registered lobbyist accompanied her to meetings with foreign officials, according to a report published Friday by The Wall Street Journal.
The company, Aktor Group, has only recently expanded into the natural gas business. Federal lobbying records show it paid lobbyist Christos Marafatsos $160,000 through June to build ties with the White House and the State and Energy departments. Marafatsos has joined Guilfoyle at so many meetings that some foreign officials mistook him for her chief of staff, the Journal reported.
Several people who met with the pair, including government officials, told the newspaper that Marafatsos never disclosed his work for Aktor. This spring, Guilfoyle arrived in Bulgaria on a private jet provided by Aktor's CEO and urged officials there to do business with the company.
«There is no doubt that this is kind of an official position of the U.S. government,» a person familiar with the talks told the Journal.
The arrangement has drawn criticism from former national security officials. Robin Brooks, who oversaw the Balkans on the National Security Council under former President Joe Biden, called an ambassador promoting a foreign company «absolutely problematic.» Bringing a registered lobbyist into meetings with foreign officials, she said, «calls into question whether the meeting is advancing American interests or advancing some sort of private interest.»
Guilfoyle's lawyer, Jesse Binnall, said she has «worked with companies across the energy sector» and that her official meetings are arranged through embassy channels rather than through Marafatsos. Lawyers for Aktor said the company's involvement began before it had any contact with the ambassador.
Marafatsos said in a statement: «I am proud to champion commercial initiatives that advance U.S. interests and create lasting economic opportunity in Greece and Southeastern Europe.»
Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Guilfoyle an «incredibly effective advocate for the President's agenda.»
The report raises questions about the boundaries between official diplomatic duties and private business interests. Ambassadors are expected to advance their home country's interests abroad, but promoting a specific foreign company — especially one whose lobbyist is a constant presence — can blur the line between public service and private gain.
The Journal's findings add to scrutiny of Guilfoyle, who was previously engaged to Donald Trump Jr. and later became a prominent figure in MAGA circles before her appointment to the ambassadorship. The episode also highlights the broader issue of lobbying in foreign capitals, where registered lobbyists can gain access to high-level meetings without clear disclosure of their commercial ties.
Neither the State Department nor Aktor immediately responded to requests for comment on the Journal's report. The White House did not comment on the specific allegations.
The matter is likely to draw attention from congressional oversight committees, which have previously examined the intersection of private lobbying and official diplomacy. For now, the report leaves unanswered questions about how often Guilfoyle's meetings with Balkan officials were arranged with Marafatsos's involvement and whether those meetings were properly disclosed to U.S. ethics officials.
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