Trump’s Choice of Kimberly Guilfoyle as Ambassador to Greece Is Sparking the Biggest Excitement at Athens Since Jackie Wed Aristotle

ATHENS — The buzz around the government buildings near the foot of the Acropolis was, for a change, not coming from the usual tour buses but from the news that broke here Wednesday of President-elect Trump’s pick of a former prosecutor and Fox News host, Kimberly Guilfoyle, as ambassador to Greece. The Greek press jumped on the news, eagerly dissecting both Ms. Guilfoyle’s record as a prosecutor in California and as co-host of Fox News’s “The Five,” as well as her robust support for the Trump campaign and colorful personal life. The latter includes, but is not limited to, a previous marriage to the current governor of California, Gavin Newsom, and until recently a romantic relationship with the president elect’s eldest son, Don Jr. The Protothema newspaper reported that Congressman Gus Bilirakis of Florida had been rumored to be in the running for the position, but that Republican leaders decided against his nomination on account of their slim majority in the House of Representatives.That closed door apparently opened one for Ms. Guilfoyle. It is the intersection of the unapologetically political with the deeply personal that will send, along with her telegenic appeal that has already sent, a jolt of excitement through the close-knit diplomatic circles at Athens. For To Vima, another Greek newspaper, the arrival in Greece of “the former fiancée of Donald Trump’s son” will signal “the further ideological penetration of the American right into critical diplomatic positions.” The SKAI television network, like a few others, zeroed in on Ms. Guilfoyle’s social life, arguably more colorful than her former legal career.Some Greek newspapers, sensing drama, detailed some alleged bad blood between Ms. Guilfoyle and Kamala Harris, who is said to have blocked her from obtaining a job at San Francisco years ago.To Pontiki, a newspaper that blends serious news coverage with gossip (its name means “the mouse”), picked up on the discontent that some readers of The New York Times expressed about the appointment. Mr. Trump stands by his pick. Writing on Truth Social, he said of Ms. Guilfoyle, now 55, “For many years, Kimberly has been a close friend and ally.”The president-elect also said that 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.” He added that she “is perfectly suited to foster strong bilateral relations with Greece, advancing our interests on issues ranging from defense cooperation to trade and economic innovation.”For her part, Ms. Guilfoyle, writing on X, stated that “I’m honored to accept President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Ambassador to Greece and I look forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate.” Said she: “As ambassador, I look forward to delivering on the Trump agenda, supporting our Greek allies, and ushering in a new era of peace and prosperity.”In additional words that seemed calibrated as an offering to the Greek sense of national pride, she added that “It was the democratic values born in Greece that helped shape the founding of America.”Mr. Trump also said that he would nominate his friend Tom Barrack, a real estate investor, to be ambassador to Turkey. Like Greece, Turkey is of strategic importance to America, both in terms of the oupheaval in the Middle East and changing political landscapes in Europe. However, Greece, long a magnet for tourism and well-heeled visitors who come for the history and beaches (and sometimes the potatoes), has the definite edge when it comes to star power. It was a former First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who, through her marriage to shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, helped put iconic Greek holiday islands like Mykonos and Hydra on the map internationally. Greeks have never forgotten “Jackie O”s legacy of discreet glamor and chic; in many ways she epitomized the ideals of Greek feminine beauty and her American pedigree only enhanced her allure. Lest anyone doubt the quiet force of pulchritude and feminine wiles to wield diplomatic power, think back to an illustrious former American ambassador to France, Pamela Digby Churchill Harriman. Thanks in part to her years of experience playing the field, Ms. Harriman had the flighty Parisians in her pocket.Greece, this correspondent can aver, is ready for a dose of good old-fashioned American glamor. President Biden’s pick of George Tsunis, had to fight an uphill battle for credibility following his nomination in 2022. His predecessor, Geoffrey Pyatt, another Californian, was a holdover from the Obama administration. If her nomination is confirmed by the Senate, Ms. Guilfoyle will settle into a Greece that has become one of Europe’s rare economic success stories. The prime minister’s outgoing chief economic adviser, Alex Patelis, wrote on Facebook this week that “In 2019, our country was still under capital controls. The greatest economic achievement of this government is the return to investment grade and stability.”Greece, like the rest of Europe, is still facing some economic headwinds and the eastern Mediterranean remains as volatile a region as it is beguiling. From the whispers bouncing around Athens this December though, the breath of fresh air that Ms. Guilfoyle’s nomination promises will be warmly welcomed.

Trump’s Choice of Kimberly Guilfoyle as Ambassador to Greece Is Sparking the Biggest Excitement at Athens Since Jackie Wed Aristotle

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