Kimberly Guilfoyle “was spiraling” and threatened to retract her resignation in the hours after she quit the Trump administration in disgrace, it has been claimed.
President Donald Trump, 80, finally ended Guilfoyle’s controversial stint as ambassador to Greece—and likely her hopes of ever working in frontline politics again—in humiliating fashion on Tuesday after nearly a week of damaging headlines over her alleged financial dealings.
The news was delivered to the world by his new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, 41, who used her first media briefing to announce the jaw-dropping development that Guilfoyle, 57, had been asked to resign.
Now a MAGA-world source has revealed to the Daily Beast’s sister outlet, PunchUp, just how badly Guilfoyle took the very public blow—which they claim led her to call around her rich GOP donor friends in a state of distress. Trump’s close aides were informed of Guilfoyle’s apparent anguish just as the president took the stage at his Tuesday evening rally in Alaska, one said.
“Kimberly was spiraling, calling people and suggesting, ‘Maybe I don’t resign,’” the official claimed. “I don’t think she was serious, but she was in her feelings last night. She was processing what had happened—but not very well.”
A second official added, “We shouldn’t have had to fire Kimberly on live TV—she should have handed in her resignation before that.”
Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr.’s former fiancée, had spent days fighting to save her job as allegations mounted over her financial dealings and conduct as ambassador.
She had allegedly asked MAGA donor Eric Deters to pay off a $100,000 American Express bill without leaving a paper trail, while offering access to powerful figures in Trump’s orbit, as reported extensively by the Daily Beast.
She has also faced allegations involving luxury travel, improper gifts, and her treatment of embassy staff, which sparked a probe by the State Department’s inspector general. Guilfoyle has denied wrongdoing through her lawyer, Jesse Binnall, and maintained that her financial dealings were legitimate.
As the storm grew, Guilfoyle refused to walk, even as the president publicly signaled that her days were numbered. Asked Monday whether he was considering firing his son’s former partner of six years, Trump told reporters: “Well, we’re looking at. Yeah, we’re not happy.”
Behind the scenes, Guilfoyle was reported to be scrambling to cling to her position, blaming staff for damaging leaks and seeking help from influential conservative media figures. She also claimed that damning messages attributed to her had been generated using AI, an explanation White House officials are said not to have believed.
On Tuesday, Zacharia announced that Trump had asked Guilfoyle to resign, leaving journalists present visibly stunned. “She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well,” the new press secretary added. Guilfoyle subsequently issued a defiant statement on X, describing the allegations against her as “false” and vowing to defend her reputation.
But she remained publicly loyal to Trump, declaring: “My gratitude and respect for President Trump and Secretary Rubio remain unwavering.”
She added: “I am proud of what we accomplished together, and I will always be a loyal supporter of President Trump and his mission to Make America Great Again.”
The revelation that Guilfoyle had been asked to resign was a saving grace for Zacharia during her rocky press briefing debut. She has faced bipartisan criticism for appearing unprepared and nervous during her hard launch, which lasted 14 minutes and 12 seconds and saw her take questions from just three conservative outlets.
Her first appearance in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room came just four days after she was hired—and barely 24 hours after she started the job—leaving her little time to prepare. Trump was said to have been “happy” with how it went, according to multiple administration officials, and feels confident she will “grow into the role.”
One told PunchUp that Trump had “wanted” her to do the briefing so quickly after hiring her, adding, “She was thrown into a situation that’s extremely difficult. And she was very brave to do a presser 24 hours after her first day; that’s pretty unprecedented.”
Another said: “Nobody breaks news like that in a briefing.”
President George W. Bush’s White House press secretary Ari Fleischer agreed that the announcement “gave her substance” and “gave her something serious to talk about, not just talking points.”
“There’s nothing that makes the job of the White House press secretary easier than delivering hard news, things that nobody knows about, that your job is to reveal it for the first time on behalf of the president,” Fleischer told Fox News Tuesday.
He added: “Talking points are indeed an important part of that job, but making news is even more important.”
Guilfoyle was approached for comment. She had not responded by the time of publication.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle said of Zacharia: “Katie is a fantastic choice for the next White House Press Secretary and she will do an excellent job messaging and highlighting the wins President Trump continues to deliver for Americans across the country.”
Tom Latchem exposes the secrets, scandals, and stories that powerful people and institutions want to keep under wraps. Follow all of his reporting at PunchUp on Substack.
