PoliticsFormer 'The View' Star and Proud 'Greek-American' Debbie Matenopoulos Pitches to Take Over Kimberly Guilfoyle's Job as U.S. Ambassador to Greece

Debbie Matenopoulos made the pitch to replace Kimberly Guilfoyle as ambassador to Greece.
Oct. 19 2026, Published 11:59 a.m. ET
Former U.S. ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle recently saw her political position go down in flames after allegations of financial misconduct — and people are already chomping at the bit to take over her position.
Former The View co-host Debbie Matenopoulos made the pitch to take the reins in a message to the American people in general and Donald Trump in an Instagram post listing her long association with Greece and her understanding of the culture.
Greek Was Her 'First Language'

Kimberly Guilfoyle's ambassadorship to Greece ended among allegations of financial misconduct.
“Number one, I speak the language; it was my first language before I even spoke English,” she said. “Number two, I have a Greek and American passport. My entire family lives in Greece with the exception of my immediate family. I was the first person in my family to be born in America. Everyone else was born in Greece.”
'I Understand the Government, I Understand the Politics'

Donald Trump dismissed his relationship to Kimberly Guilfoyle despite her having been engaged to his son.
She went on to cite her own connections to the nation.
“I own homes in Greece,” the TV star continued. “I travel to Greece every single summer and spend quite a bit of time there. I understand that government, I understand the politics, I understand the people. I have many connections, and I love the country. And I believe that the United States and Greece can have even better relations than we already do.”
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Debbie Matenopoulos pointed out that Kimberly Guilfoyle neither had nor needed qualifications to be ambassador.
Matenopoulos noted that Guilfoyle wasn’t a career diplomat and questioned the process by which ambassadors are selected.
“You don’t really need any qualification to become a U.S. ambassador to any country,” she pointed out. “You don’t even need a college degree, you don’t need a diplomatic background, you don’t need a life in politics. You just need to be an entrepreneur, a successful businesswoman or businessman, or a political donor, and you have to be appointed by the president.”
She concluded with a statement of pride: “I have two very successful Greek cookbooks, I have a successful Greek skin care line, and I basically scream from the rooftops, ‘I am Greek, hear me roar, our country is the best.' But I also do that for America, because I am a Greek-American.”
No Response Yet From the White House

Debbie Matenopoulos cited numerous qualifications to be the ambassador to Greece.
She also listed her qualifications on the post, which included a New York University Journalism Degree and being hand picked by arguably the most important influential female journalist of all time, Barbara Walters, to be on The View straight out of college.
Matenopoulos also touted 30 years of experience on live television, her ability to speak, read and write Greek and her desire to "deepen and improve relations between both of my homelands for future generations."
The White House has yet to publicly respond.

