Rubio Refuses to Comment on Allegations Against US Ambassador to Greece

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio firmly refused on Thursday to comment on a new report stating that US Ambassador to Greece Kim Gilfoil engaged in improper, and possibly illegal, conduct prior to assuming her position.

Rubio told journalists he would not discuss allegations from a Wall Street Journal report, which stated that Gilfoil asked a donor and supporter of US President Donald Trump to pay off a $100,000 credit card bill just before her confirmation hearing, promising him easier access to administration officials in return, as reported by the Associated Press.

Rubio's remarks came before his departure from Greece, where he delivered a speech urging European countries to return to their civilizational roots, as he described them.

Rubio clarified that he had seen the Wall Street Journal report, published Wednesday evening, but did not know if it was accurate and would not address it.

Standing at the foot of his plane, while Gilfoil, who had come to see him off upon his departure from Greece, watched the scene, he added: "You act as if what one source tells you is absolute truth, and then you publish it. But it isn't. It isn't for me. And this is not how we operate."

Rubio emphasized during a joint press conference with the Greek Foreign Minister on Wednesday that he would not address these allegations while visiting a foreign country, but added: "It suffices to say that our embassy here is doing an excellent job, and our ambassador is performing strongly here."