Republican donor Eric Deters sued Kimberly Guilfoyle and her lawyers for defamation Thursday, escalating a falling-out inside President Donald Trump’s political circle two days after the administration ousted the U.S. ambassador to Greece.
The lawsuit, filed in Kentucky, accuses Guilfoyle of attacking Deters’ reputation in an effort to cover up a $100,000 quid pro quo proposition to Deters in exchange for helping him in her capacity as an attaché.
Deters, who has contributed over $1 million to support Trump, claims the information revealed by his lawsuit could dash the political careers of Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.
“This might just bring down the entire Trump administration, an administration which I have supported from Day 1,” Deters said in a video on his Facebook page Thursday. “President Trump and the defendants can do the right thing, or pay the price.”
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Deters said that on Friday, he will release an “explosive” new phone recording from Greece, and added that he intends to subpoena records from the Trump administration.
The developing saga offers a glimpse into conversations — and expectations — baked into money exchanges within Trump’s political network.
Deters’ legal battle began when he alleged that Guilfoyle asked him to pay a $100,000 American Express bill in exchange for access to administration officials. Guilfoyle’s lawyers hit back, disputing the veracity of his text messages and claiming that Deters actually owed her money for speaking and travel fees, which he denies.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Guilfoyle sought the money from Deters days before her July 2025 Senate confirmation hearing, which took place after Deters had requested her help with tax and legal problems. Guilfoyle subsequently updated Deters on those lobbying efforts and forwarded messages documenting outreach to the IRS before she allegedly asked for the $100,000 payment, the newspaper reported.
Deters has maintained he never made the payment and says he initially contacted Guilfoyle to ask her help in extraditing an Ohio doctor from Pakistan who was facing charges of defrauding insurance companies.
“It was all quid pro quo,” he told ABC News last week. “She was so desperate for me to send that $100,000, she said, ‘If you do this for me ... I will be your ride or die in Trumpworld.”
He claims he had previously made large payments to Guilfoyle over several years to speak at his Freedom Fest events. He has also threatened to seek Donald Trump Jr.’s testimony.
Guilfoyle has repeatedly denied the allegations as false and pledges to defend her reputation.
On Wednesday, Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, again requested financial records and communications between Guilfoyle and top Trump administration officials, including FBI Director Kash Patel and former IRS Commissioner Billy Long.
He requested the records by Oct. 22.
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