Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece and a longtime ally of President Donald Trump, is facing renewed scrutiny following a report by The Wall Street Journal alleging that she asked a prominent Trump supporter to pay a $100,000 American Express bill shortly before her confirmation hearing.

According to the newspaper, messages exchanged between Guilfoyle and Kentucky attorney and businessman Eric Deters suggest that she sought financial assistance while offering to use her political connections to help him gain access to senior administration officials.

The report has prompted questions about potential ethical concerns involving political influence, private financial arrangements, and the responsibilities of a U.S. ambassador. Guilfoyle has denied wrongdoing, and her attorney has questioned whether the messages cited in the report are authentic.

The allegations have also drawn attention from lawmakers seeking further scrutiny of her conduct.

What Did the Wall Street Journal Report?

According to The Wall Street Journal, Guilfoyle contacted Deters through the encrypted messaging application Signal in July 2025, just days before her Senate confirmation hearing to become the U.S. ambassador to Greece.

The newspaper reported that Guilfoyle was seeking $100,000 to cover her American Express balance. Messages reviewed by the Journal allegedly showed her suggesting that Deters arrange a direct payment to the credit card company rather than transfer the money to her personally.

One reported message stated that the payment would not appear elsewhere if he wired the money directly to American Express. Another included an urgent request for him to complete the payment that day.

The timing of the messages has become a central issue because Guilfoyle was preparing for a high-profile confirmation process that would lead to her appointment as a U.S. diplomatic representative.

The Journal’s reporting was based on messages and other communications associated with the two individuals. The authenticity and full context of the exchanges remain important considerations, particularly because Guilfoyle’s lawyer has challenged the messages.

Who Is Eric Deters?

Deters is a Kentucky attorney and businessman who previously ran for Congress. According to the Journal, he had been seeking assistance from people connected to the Trump administration regarding personal tax and legal matters.

The newspaper reported that Deters had discussed making payments of as much as $1 million if Guilfoyle successfully helped him pursue his objectives.

According to the report, Guilfoyle offered to use her connections to bring Deters’ concerns to the attention of influential officials. The Journal also described communications in which she allegedly updated him on efforts involving government agencies.

Deters told the newspaper that he did not ultimately pay the $100,000 American Express bill. He said making such a payment could have created serious problems in his marriage.

He also expressed disappointment with the assistance he believed Guilfoyle had promised. According to the report, Deters said she had not delivered the results he expected despite assurances that he could reach senior figures across the administration.

His account forms a significant part of the allegations, although his statements do not independently establish that any improper arrangement occurred.

Messages Raise Questions About Political Access

One of the most closely scrutinized aspects of the report is the alleged connection between the requested payment and access to influential government officials.

According to the Journal, Guilfoyle reportedly told Deters that if he followed her instructions, she would remain a loyal ally within Trump’s political circle. The newspaper reported that she also used language suggesting that the payment could be made without creating an obvious paper trail.

The reported exchanges have raised questions about the boundaries between personal financial relationships and political influence.

In government, public officials are expected to follow applicable ethics rules and avoid arrangements that could compromise their responsibilities or create the appearance of a conflict of interest. Whether any particular communication violates a rule depends on the circumstances, the evidence, and the relevant legal and ethical standards.

The reported messages alone do not establish a legal violation. However, the possibility that a financial request may have been connected to promises of political assistance has become a central concern in the broader controversy.

Kimberly Guilfoyle’s Response

Guilfoyle has denied wrongdoing.

According to The Wall Street Journal, her lawyer said she did not believe the messages were authentic but declined to provide specific details supporting that position.

Her lawyer also said Guilfoyle was owed money for speaking at patriotic events before she was nominated to serve as ambassador to Greece. Deters, meanwhile, disputed that he owed her money.

These competing accounts leave important questions unresolved. Establishing what happened would require a careful examination of the communications, their context, and any supporting financial records.

It is therefore important to distinguish the allegations reported by the Journal from facts that have been independently established. Guilfoyle has not been shown to have been found liable or convicted of wrongdoing in connection with the reported request.

Marco Rubio Declines to Weigh In

The controversy also surfaced during a visit to Greece by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

When reporters asked Rubio about the Journal’s report, he declined to confirm whether the allegations were true. He criticized the assumption that published reporting should automatically be accepted as definitive.

Rubio’s remarks reflected his stated position that he would not treat the report as established fact simply because it had been published.

During an earlier joint news conference with Greece’s foreign minister, Rubio had also declined to address the allegations while visiting the country. He instead praised the work of the U.S. embassy and described the ambassador as performing strongly in her role.

His comments did not resolve the questions raised by the report, nor did they establish whether an official investigation would follow.

The exchange brought additional attention to the story, placing questions about Guilfoyle’s reported private communications alongside the public responsibilities of the State Department.

Democrats Call for an Investigation

The latest allegations emerged amid existing scrutiny of Guilfoyle’s conduct as the United States’ top diplomatic representative in Greece.

According to the supplied report, leading Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have called for an investigation.

The lawmakers’ concerns extend beyond the alleged credit card request. A previous Wall Street Journal report raised questions about Guilfoyle’s interactions with Greek business interests and her conduct at diplomatic events.

Those earlier allegations included claims that she promoted the interests of a Greek construction and energy company and that a lobbyist associated with the company attended private diplomatic meetings. The newspaper also reported remarks attributed to Guilfoyle concerning the potential influence of the United States over the Greek government.

These claims are separate from the reported American Express request, although both sets of allegations have contributed to questions about her conduct in office.

Rubio did not publicly commit to opening an investigation when asked about the latest report. Whether the State Department or congressional committees take further action remains an important development to watch.

What Happens Next?

The controversy now centers on several unresolved issues: the authenticity and context of the reported messages, the nature of the financial relationship between Guilfoyle and Deters, and whether any promises of political assistance were connected to private financial requests.

An investigation, if undertaken, could help establish the facts and determine whether any applicable ethics rules or other requirements were violated.

For now, the allegations remain contested. Guilfoyle denies wrongdoing, her lawyer disputes the authenticity of the messages, and Deters maintains that he was asked to make the payment but ultimately refused.

The case highlights the scrutiny that can arise when political relationships, private financial matters, and public office intersect. Any definitive conclusions will depend on the evidence and the findings of the relevant authorities.

Sources: The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press, and FOX 5 NY. Additional reporting: The Wall Street Journal’s report.