U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday signaled his intention to visit Greece in the near future, speaking during the credentialing ceremony of Greece’s new ambassador to Washington, Antonis Alexandridis, at the White House. In doing so, he effectively confirmed recent remarks by Kimberly Guilfoyle, who had said she was in a position to know that Trump planned to travel to the country.
Expressing his admiration for Greece, Trump asked Ambassador Alexandridis to convey his warm regards to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and underscored the importance of maintaining close cooperation between the two governments. He described Greece as a “valuable partner and ally,” noting that Greek-American relations are currently stronger than ever. The friendship between the two nations, he said, is enduring and rooted in a shared democratic and spiritual heritage.
Referring to the U.S. ambassador to Greece as “one of my most trusted envoys”—a characterization intended to highlight the weight Washington attaches to the bilateral relationship—Trump stressed his administration’s determination to further deepen cooperation with Athens in trade, investment and energy. He made special mention of progress achieved in strengthening regional energy security through the Vertical Corridor, a major infrastructure project facilitating U.S. LNG exports, which he said “will elevate Greece’s energy role across the region.”
In his formal letter accepting the ambassador’s credentials, Trump also alluded to Greece’s recent decision to abstain from endorsing the net-zero emissions framework adopted by the International Maritime Organization. He argued that the regulation would place additional burdens on consumers, businesses and global trade.
Addressing the new envoy, Trump described the current juncture as critical, pointing to Greece’s steady progress toward meeting NATO’s 5% of GDP defense spending benchmark and praising what he called the country’s substantive leadership within the Alliance. He added that he sees vast potential for cooperation in shipbuilding, including the revival of major U.S. shipyards, continued discussions over frigate construction in Greece, the creation of quality jobs and significant opportunities for both nations.
Concluding his letter, Trump assured Alexandridis that the U.S. government looks forward to working closely with him “to advance our shared goals and further deepen the U.S.–Greece strategic partnership.”
A July Visit?
No official timeline has been announced for a possible presidential visit to Athens. July is widely viewed as a favorable window, coinciding with the NATO summit scheduled for July 7–8 in Ankara and the 250th anniversary celebrations on July 4 marking the Declaration of American Independence.
According to individuals close to the president, Trump has also expressed interest in delivering a future address in the Greek capital against the backdrop of the Acropolis.
Meanwhile, the future of the Greece–U.S. Strategic Dialogue remains open, with the process being handled by Foreign Ministers George Gerapetritis and Marco Rubio. The U.S. Secretary of State has already indicated that he plans to visit Athens in the near future, with his trip expected—according to well-informed sources—by the end of May.
