Kimberly Guilfoyle arrived in Athens and immediately plunged into deep waters. From receptions and bouzoukia (nightclubs), to the energy conference at Zappeion and the signing of significant agreements. The new U.S. Ambassador to Athens had a noisy and busy first week in her new post and, judging by her first moves, she seems ready to leave her mark on the renovated embassy building on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue.

No other U.S. ambassador has adapted so easily to the customs and rhythms of the Athenian capital. Of course, her predecessors were all men with a more conventional career path than hers. They also all had the State Department as their reference point, while she comes directly from Donald Trump’s White House — a system where protocols and formalities are seen as outdated conventions.

For those who know Guilfoyle, it was no surprise that she arrived in Greece “ready and prepared.” From the very first moment, the new U.S. ambassador made it clear that she brings not only the diplomatic title, but also the political style and pace of American diplomacy in the Trump era.

Even before settling in Athens, Kimberly Guilfoyle had been working behind the scenes for months, preparing for her tenure with direct knowledge of and participation in the agreements that were ultimately announced during her first week in the Greek capital. It is said that it was her idea to convene the 3+1 group — the Energy Ministers of Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and the U.S. — on the sidelines of the P-TEC energy conference. Doug Burgum, the powerful U.S. Secretary of the Interior and a close Trump ally, spared no praise for her, saying that “the best ambassador in the world has been sent to Greece.”

Practical and Goal-Oriented

Those who have worked with her describe her approach as practical and results-driven. Her goal has always been to start strong, achieving tangible and measurable results from the very beginning. She does not operate according to institutional routine but seeks concrete deliverables — real agreements with clear implementation timelines. “She means business,” her associates say, summing up her style.

Greek ministers who met her before her arrival in Athens quickly realized this. One afternoon they would discuss potential areas of cooperation, and the next morning they would receive an email from her detailing what she had already done and what they had to follow up on.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Greek Minister for Environment and Energy Stavros Papastavrou, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, and U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle, applaud during a signing ceremony from executives of Exxon Mobil, Helleniq Energy and Energean during the Transatlantic Energy Cooperation (P-TEC) meeting in Athens, Greece, November 6, 2025. REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki

Given that, it is no surprise that the new ambassador did not stop at declarations of intent. Within the first week, a long-term contract for importing U.S. LNG to Greece was signed — the first such agreement in Southeastern Europe under the supervision of the Trump administration. In Washington, it is considered a strategic success, as it strengthens America’s energy foothold in the European market and establishes Greece as a key transit hub.

Also signed was the U.S.-Greece Joint Declaration on Economic Security, attended by Greece’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Haris Theoharis and Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg. The two countries agreed to institutional cooperation on the expansion of digital technology. Yet, what drew the greatest interest was the revival of the 3+1 framework after a long period of inactivity.

It appears that Guilfoyle had been developing this idea months earlier; during her Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing, she had emphasized her belief in the potential of the 3+1 format and her intention to invest in its further development and institutionalization.

In Washington, one year into Trump’s presidency, there is already a sense of being in the final stretch of the term — a result of the rapid pace of executive decisions, initiatives on multiple fronts, and constant overturning of expectations. This model compresses political time and creates a new, aggressively disruptive culture of governance and diplomacy.

In Athens, Guilfoyle is expected to operate fully in this “Trump-era” mode — not as a career diplomat (which she is not), but as a political figure with direct access to the top of the American power structure. Her ability to communicate and intervene at the highest political level was evident a few months ago when a report claiming that Americans were preparing to abandon Alexandroupoli caused confusion.

According to To Vima, the matter was immediately clarified after Guilfoyle’s direct intervention with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. The denial came personally from Hegseth after Trump himself asked about it in the Oval Office and turned to his Defense Secretary for clarification. The speed of the process exemplifies Guilfoyle’s way of handling sensitive matters — bypassing formal channels and appealing directly to top-level decision-makers.

Sixth Partnership for Transatlantic Energy Cooperation (P-TEC) in Athens, Greece on November 6, 2025. / 6η σύνοδος της Διατλαντικής Συνεργασίας για την Ενέργεια (P-TEC), Ζάππειο, Αθήνα, 6 Νοεμβρίου 2025.

This same style is evident in her public appearances. At the P-TEC conference, when U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum started to walk to the podium, Guilfoyle stopped him with a friendly and humorous, “Not yet, honey.” The moment, though lighthearted, reflected her comfort in speaking to U.S. cabinet members as political equals rather than as a formal diplomatic subordinate. A traditional career diplomat would never address a cabinet member this way. But Guilfoyle does — because she comes from the same political camp and is personally close to the U.S. president, not merely as the former fiancée of his son, as some in Greece mistakenly believe.

Direct and Assertive

For many in Washington, this direct and interventionist style makes her the “ideal ambassador” for the new Trump era. As they note, she does not represent the bureaucracy of the State Department, but the political DNA of the Trump administration itself.

Sixth Partnership for Transatlantic Energy Cooperation (P-TEC) in Athens, Greece on November 7, 2025. / 6η σύνοδος της Διατλαντικής Συνεργασίας για την Ενέργεια (P-TEC), Ζάππειο, Αθήνα, 7 Νοεμβρίου 2025.

When she first met with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, he advised her to communicate primarily with two of his ministers — Giorgos Gerapetritis and Stavros Papastavrou. Following last week’s conference, which the American side considered highly successful, Guilfoyle reportedly thanked the Prime Minister for the very productive collaboration she had with these two ministers, who played a key role in organizing the event.

The Guilfoyle era has dawned in Athens. It will have glamour, but it will not be lighthearted — like a night out at the bouzoukia. As she herself says: “We’ve only just begun.”