On her first day at the podium, new White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia announced that President Trump has asked Kimberly Guilfoyle, his son's former fiancée and ambassador to Greece, to resign amid allegations that she sought $100,000 from a donor. White House correspondent Liz Landers reported on the briefing.
Zacharia stated that President Trump had requested Guilfoyle's resignation following allegations that she asked a political donor to pay a $100,000 credit card bill in exchange for access to senior administration officials. Guilfoyle confirmed her resignation on social media, calling the allegations false and stating, "I intend to vigorously defend my name, my reputation, and my integrity." She added, "I will not allow false accusations to define my decades of public service," and expressed her continued support for President Trump.
This announcement follows a report from the Wall Street Journal, which indicated that Guilfoyle may have engaged in improper conduct by allegedly attempting to bribe a donor for financial assistance in exchange for access to administration officials. President Trump commented on the situation, stating, "I didn't like what I was reading" regarding Guilfoyle's actions.
Additionally, PBS News obtained a letter from the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, requesting that Guilfoyle preserve her records related to the allegations for an investigation.
Katie Zacharia, who previously served as an adviser to the Trump Media and Technology Group and has worked at the Department of Homeland Security, is known for her conservative commentary and support for President Trump. During her briefing, which lasted 14 minutes, she emphasized her role in communicating the administration's policy wins and promoting the president's message. President Trump praised her performance at the briefing.
The briefing also touched on a recent incident at a Trump rally in Ohio, where a protester was physically assaulted, and President Trump did not condemn the violence but instead mocked the protester. This incident is part of a pattern of increasing disruptions at Trump rallies, prompting law enforcement to seek information about assaults on protesters.