‘I don’t love that’: Vance signals discomfort after report alleges ambassador sought funds for access to Trump administration

Vice President JD Vance said Thursday he took issue with anyone seeking financial gain in exchange for access to Trump administration officials after a report claimed Kimberly Guilfoyle, the US ambassador to Greece, sought funds and offered access to top administration officials ahead of her confirmation.

“Obviously I don’t love that,” Vance said when a reporter asked whether he had any reaction to a scenario where an American ambassador tried to exchange access for funds. The reporter did not name Guilfoyle specifically.

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Guilfoyle had asked a donor and former congressional candidate for $100,000 to pay off an American Express bill. CNN has reached out to Guilfoyle. A lawyer for the ambassador told the Journal that Guilfoyle disputed the authenticity of the messages.

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Vance, who said he was unsure of the specifics of the episode, reserved further comment during a press conference on visa fraud.

But the vice president said in general he was uncomfortable with access-for-pay schemes.

“Of course I don’t like anybody selling access to another government official, certainly a high-level government official,” he said.

“But you know, I assume you’re talking about a specific case, and I can’t say with confidence that the case you’re talking about is actually reflective of of the way you’re describing it,” he added.

According to the Journal, the donor, Eric Deters, had been seeking Guilfoyle’s help in “getting the attention of the new Trump administration on some personal tax and legal issues.”

“Honey please I need you to get this done for me today,” Guilfoyle texted Deters days ahead of her confirmation hearing, according to the Journal. Deters didn’t make the payment, the newspaper reported.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

副总统 JD Vance 周四表示，他对任何试图通过接触特朗普政府官员来获取经济利益的行为都持反对意见。此前有报道称，美国驻希腊大使金伯利·吉尔福伊尔在获得任命前曾寻求资金，并承诺让她接触政府高层官员。

“显然我不喜欢这样，”当记者问及他对美国大使试图以资金换取外交便利这一情况有何反应时，万斯这样回答道。记者没有具体提及吉尔福伊尔的名字。

《华尔街日报》周三报道称，吉尔福伊尔曾向一位捐赠者、前国会候选人索要10万美元，用于偿还美国运通卡的一笔账单。CNN已联系吉尔福伊尔。大使的律师告诉《华尔街日报》，吉尔福伊尔否认了这些信息的真实性。

Dimitris Kapantais/SOOC/法新社/盖蒂图片社

范斯表示，他不确定事件的具体细节，在就签证欺诈问题举行的新闻发布会上，他拒绝进一步置评。

但副总统表示，他总体上对付费获取资源的做法感到不安。

“我当然不喜欢任何人出售接触其他政府官员的机会，尤其是高级政府官员的机会，”他说。

“但是，你知道，我假设你指的是一个具体案例，但我不能肯定地说，你所描述的案例是否真的反映了实际情况，”他补充道。

据《华尔街日报》报道，捐赠者埃里克·德特斯曾寻求吉尔福伊尔的帮助，希望“让特朗普新政府关注一些个人税务和法律问题”。

据《华尔街日报》报道，吉尔福伊尔在确认听证会前几天给德特斯发短信说：“亲爱的，求你今天帮我把这件事办好。”该报还报道称，德特斯没有支付这笔款项。

这是一则正在更新的新闻。