Kimberly Guilfoyle, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for the US ambassador to Greece, once referred to Greeks as “freeloaders” who needed to be punished in the same way as a dog does when it “pees on the rug.”
She made the insulting comments during the financial crisis of 2009-2018.
In a 2015 segment of Fox News’ The Five unearthed by Media Matters senior fellow Matt Gertz, Guilfoyle described the Greeks as “freeloaders” who should be punished after rejecting a bailout offer from the European Union.
Following the Greek government debt crisis, a referendum was announced in June 2015 on whether the country should accept the bailout conditions proposed by the EU, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank. The following month, the Greek public overwhelmingly rejected the referendum, with 61 percent voting against the measure.
Reacting to the results, which eventually led to the resignations of Greek party leaders and the country’s prime minister agreeing to an austerity plan with the EU, Guilfoyle — who was then a Fox News host — described Greeks as lazy and too dependent on the government.
Guilfoyle: “People in Greece retire early. Go to work!”
“I mean, nobody likes freeloaders,” she declared. “It doesn’t matter if you made great yogurt. I don’t care.”
“Suck it up,” she exclaimed. “Get up in the morning. Go to work. You guys are retiring too early. And that’s part of the problem. You have, like, politicians making out-of-control promises, buying votes with entitlements that they can’t support.”
Comparing the Greek citizens to an untrained pet, Guilfoyle concluded by saying “nobody is punishing them” like when a “dog pees on the rug.”
Did Trump pick Guilfoyle for Greece to handle personal drama?
Guilfoyle has been engaged to the president-elect’s son Donald Trump Jr. since 2020, although according to rumors the couple has now separated.
“For many years, Kimberly has been a close friend and ally. 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,” Trump said on Tuesday when announcing Guilfoyle as his Greek ambassador.
In a statement following the announcement, Guilfoyle said she was honored to accept the President-elect’s appointment.
Observers however, pointed out that Trump’s announcement of the Guilfoyle appointment came just hours after photos were published of Don Jr. strolling hand-in-hand with Florida socialite Bettina Anderson.
Jimmy Kimmel jokingly claimed the real reason Trump has nominated Guilfoyle is because of their rumored break-up.
“He made her ambassador to one of the farthest countries possible,” he joked in the opening monologue. “What a family this is,” the comedian smirked. “He has more relatives working at the White House than I do at this show right now.”