Marco Rubio praises US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle amid controversy over remarks about Romania

Marco Rubio says Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle has made an important contribution to promoting US interests in Greece and Southeastern Europe, particularly in the energy sector.

Marco Rubio voices support for US ambassador to Greece

It is worth recalling that the US ambassador to Greece sparked a wave of reactions after she suggested that the US could overthrow governments, in a statement that appeared to refer to the fall of the Romanian government, according to The Wall Street Journal.

“Ambassador Guilfoyle has been an incredibly effective advocate for the President’s agenda in Greece and throughout Europe. President Trump and I greatly appreciate the ambassador’s essential work and leadership in the region.

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She has successfully advanced US energy interests in Greece and Southeastern Europe through regional projects such as the ‘Vertical Energy Corridor,’ a bipartisan-supported project,” Marco Rubio said in a message posted on the social media pages of the US Embassy in Greece.

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The Secretary of State’s message was published Friday evening, both in English and Greek.

Marco Rubio’s message came a day after The Wall Street Journal reported that Democratic leaders of the foreign affairs committees in the US Senate and House of Representatives had asked the State Department to review Kimberly Guilfoyle’s activities.

Another message of support for Guilfoyle came from Doug Burgum, the Secretary of the Interior in the Trump administration.

“Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle has been an invaluable partner in strengthening the enduring alliance between the United States and Greece and advancing the strategic partnership between our nations in Southeastern Europe. Her exceptional leadership in energy development and cooperation has helped facilitate important agreements, strengthen regional energy security, and position Greece as a key energy partner for the United States. Kimberly has also proven to be a gracious host who sincerely appreciates the deep friendship between our nations and who is firmly committed to advancing our shared interests,” Doug Burgum also said.

Democratic lawmakers Jeanne Shaheen and Gregory Meeks have asked the State Department, led by Marco Rubio, to also examine the way Kimberly Guilfoyle promoted certain businesses in the natural gas sector in Southeastern Europe.

The request comes after The Wall Street Journal investigation, according to which Donald Trump’s ambassador to Greece allegedly suggested that the United States could overthrow governments, in a statement that reportedly referred to both Romania and Greece.

“We can do that to any country we want. We can do that here, too,” Guilfoyle allegedly said, according to the WSJ.

The ambassador’s lawyer, however, disputed the way the conversation was presented. The US Embassy in Greece rejected the allegations and said that Guilfoyle complies with all State Department ethics rules.

Later, another publication provided details about when the ambassador allegedly made the statement. According to the publication, Guilfoyle spoke about Romania on March 18, during an official dinner held at the US Embassy in Athens. More than 12 people reportedly attended the event, including politicians, embassy staff and military personnel.

US lawmakers have also requested clarification regarding compliance with State Department rules in connection with the ambassador’s travel on private aircraft, including one flight paid for by the chief executive of Aktor Group, Hotnews.ro reports.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Guilfoyle repeatedly promoted the Greek company Aktor, which, through a partnership with Greek energy company DEPA, signed a 20-year contract last year to purchase liquefied natural gas from the United States.

The Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times also reported that Guilfoyle attended a conference in Bucharest at the end of March, where she praised the agreement between Venture Global, a privately held US company specializing in liquefied natural gas exports, and the partnership between Aktor and DEPA.

That same evening, she and lobbyist Christos Marafatsos had dinner with PSD leaders, including party leader Sorin Grindeanu and Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan.

A lawyer for Marafatsos said that he attended the dinner for no more than 15 minutes and did not take part in any discussions about the Romanian government.

Grindeanu rejected on Monday any alleged involvement by the US government in the ousting of the Bolojan cabinet and said that he had discussed with Guilfoyle Romania’s role in the Vertical Gas Corridor.

“A transit role. That’s all. I am not in a position to speak about it, nor am I a specialist in this matter, and I do not want to be. But I do want Romania’s relationship with the US to become a strategic partnership again,” the PSD leader said.