Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent a public message of support for the US Ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is at the center of a scandal after the Wall Street Journal reported that she suggested Washington played a role in the fall of the Ilie Bolojan Government.
Rubio’s message comes in the context where two Democratic congressmen have requested the State Department to investigate the diplomat’s conduct and provide explanations, including regarding her alleged statements concerning Romania.
"Ambassador Guilfoyle has proven to be an extremely effective supporter of the president's agenda in Greece and across Europe. President Trump and I greatly appreciate her essential work and leadership role in the region," Rubio conveyed in a message published by the US Embassy in Athens.
The US Secretary of State also praised the ambassador's involvement in promoting US energy interests in Greece and Southeastern Europe through regional projects like the Vertical Energy Corridor, which he specified enjoys bipartisan support in Congress.
Democrats in Congress call for ambassador investigation
Rubio's message of support comes a day after Democratic congressmen Gregory Meeks, the opposition leader in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Jeanne Shaheen, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, requested a State Department investigation into Guilfoyle's activities.
The two asked for information regarding the ambassador's alleged interventions in promoting energy contracts, the involvement of a lobbyist in diplomatic meetings, and possible conflicts of interest.
They also sought clarifications regarding reports that Guilfoyle stated that the United States had a hand in the removal of the Bolojan Government and could cause a similar change in Greece.
What did the ambassador say about Romania
The controversy stemmed from an article published by the Wall Street Journal, stating that in March, during a dinner in Athens, Kimberly Guilfoyle referred to the imminent fall of the government led by Ilie Bolojan. In a dispute with the Greek Energy Minister, Stavros Papastavrou, the ambassador reportedly said, "We can do this to any country we want. We can do it here too," suggesting that the US had a role in changing the Romanian government and could intervene in Greece as well.
The Bolojan government fell in May after the Social Democratic Party (PSD) withdrew from the governing coalition and a vote of no confidence was adopted in Parliament.
Prior to the political crisis, Guilfoyle had vigorously promoted the Vertical Energy Corridor, aimed at transporting gas from Greece to Central and Eastern Europe. According to reports in the American press, there were disagreements over commercial and energy interests in the region.
The ambassador's lawyer disputed the account of the conversation in Athens. In turn, the US Ambassador to Bucharest, Darryl Nirenberg, stated that Washington has full confidence in Romanian democracy and that the political situation should be resolved by Romania.
Rubio did not directly comment on the allegations regarding the supposed American involvement in the fall of the Bolojan Government, focusing his message on Guilfoyle's diplomatic activities.