Guilfoyle Faces Defamation Suit Over $100K Amex Payment Claims

Eric Deters, a Trump donor, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Kimberly Guilfoyle and her legal team, alleging they misrepresented his communications. The case was filed in Kentucky state court and centers around a controversial $100,000 American Express payment request that preceded Guilfoyle's resignation as U.S. ambassador to Greece. Deters claims Guilfoyle's team labeled his messages as fabricated and accused him of blackmail, while Guilfoyle's attorneys assert the dispute is about unpaid fees, not political favors. The controversy intensified after The Wall Street Journal reported Guilfoyle had sought the payment for her Senate confirmation hearing, citing conversations where she discussed helping Deters with legal and tax matters. Deters, who previously paid Guilfoyle $300,000 for speaking engagements, claimed she failed to deliver promised assistance, including securing the extradition of a doctor accused of medical malpractice. Guilfoyle's legal team maintains that Deters owed her approximately $150,000 for services rendered, citing a May 2024 agreement with a booking agency. They argue that seeking payment for completed work is not corruption, and that Guilfoyle rejected Deters' separate $1 million offer. Deters disputes this, claiming he had no outstanding debt and that the arrangement was misrepresented. The lawsuit does not confirm the existence of a pay-for-access arrangement, but it highlights the ongoing legal and ethical debate surrounding the financial dispute. Deters also aims to involve Trump's inner circle, planning to seek depositions of Guilfoyle and her former fiancé, Donald Trump Jr., and obtain administration documents through subpoenas. He has promised to release a 16-minute phone recording by October 16, which he claims could have significant repercussions for the Trump administration and other political figures.