U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle reached out to a Republican donor just days before her Senate confirmation hearing last year, asking him to wire $100,000 directly to her American Express account, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
The request, made via the encrypted messaging app Signal on July 3, 2025, was sent to Eric Deters, a Kentucky businessman and donor to President Trump's political operations. Guilfoyle wrote, "You could just send it here. It won't show up anywhere if you wire money to American Express," followed by "Please." She also provided wiring instructions and placed two phone calls to Deters, the Journal reported.
Deters, who has run for governor and Congress in Kentucky and previously co-owned Snappy Tomato Pizza, declined the request. He reportedly told Guilfoyle that complying would endanger his marriage: "Your needing $100,000 urgent unfortunately is not going to work," he wrote. "I can't do this without getting a divorce."
The revelation comes amid broader scrutiny of Guilfoyle's conduct while serving as ambassador. The Journal previously reported that she promoted a Greek company whose lobbyist accompanied her on official travel to the Balkans. That report prompted Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to send a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio requesting a review. Shaheen wrote that "such actions do not serve U.S. credibility overseas and risk undermining U.S. diplomacy."
Guilfoyle, a former Fox News personality and ex-wife of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, was engaged to Donald Trump Jr. until their 2024 breakup. Her nomination to lead the U.S. Embassy in Athens was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a 13-9 vote, and the full Senate confirmed her 51-47 in September 2025.
Secretary Rubio, when asked about the wire request while traveling in Greece, declined to comment, saying he did not "even know if it's true or not" and that he would not comment on a story "that literally posted a few hours ago."
The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment on the Journal's latest report. Deters, whose law license has been suspended twice by the Kentucky Bar Association, donated $125,000 to the MAGA Inc. super PAC in 2022, according to Federal Election Commission records.
The request for a personal wire transfer to a credit card account raises potential ethical and legal questions, particularly given Guilfoyle's position as a Senate-confirmed ambassador. While there is no indication that Deters provided the funds, the timing—just before her confirmation hearing—adds to the political sensitivity. Rubio has faced questions about the ambassador's alleged influence peddling, and the State Department has yet to announce any internal review.
The episode also echoes broader concerns about donor relationships and government officials, as seen in recent controversies involving other Trump administration figures. Lawmakers have increasingly called for accountability, but partisan divisions often hamper oversight efforts, as recent hearings have demonstrated.
