Kimberly Guilfoyle's $100K Scandal Erupts: Trump Wants Her Out, MAGA Donor Threatens Lawsuit

The White House has asked US ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign after allegations that she sought $100,000 (£75,500) from a Trump donor, as the donor threatens to sue and Donald Trump signals he is 'not happy' with her conduct. Her lawyers deny any wrongdoing.

Press secretary Katie Zacharia, speaking at her first briefing on Tuesday, said: 'We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign.' She described Guilfoyle as a 'wonderful asset to the team' and said the White House wished her well.

It was unclear whether Guilfoyle had submitted a resignation, and no date for a successor was given. The US embassy in Athens did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Asked on Monday whether he was weighing her dismissal, Donald Trump said 'we're looking at it' and 'we're not happy'.

Guilfoyle, a former Fox News presenter and California prosecutor who was once engaged to Donald Trump Jr, has served in Athens since November 2025.

The $100,000 Claim at Centre of Row

The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the claims, published Signal messages it said Guilfoyle sent on 3 July 2025 to Eric Deters, a Kentucky attorney and former Trump donor. They asked him to pay off her American Express bill, days before her Senate confirmation hearing.

Deters says she offered to help him reach senior administration officials in return, and has described this to The Wall Street Journal as a 'quid pro quo'. He did not pay, saying he lacked the liquid assets at the time. He told the Journal he had paid her $300,000 (£226,500) over several years to speak at Freedom Fest, a Kentucky event he launched in 2020.

Guilfoyle's lawyers say Deters owed her about $150,000 (£113,250) in unpaid fees for speeches and consulting work, and that his statements are false. They have also disputed the authenticity of the messages. A person familiar with the matter told CNN she denied sending them when questioned by administration officials last week.

Donor Vows To Sue Over 'Blackmailer' Claim

Deters said on Monday: 'I'm going to be suing those lawyers, that law firm, and Kimberly Guilfoyle.' He said her lawyers first claimed the messages were fake, then called him a 'known blackmailer', which he denies. He also rejected their account of unpaid invoices, saying the messages never mention him owing money.

He said he had told the Trump administration of his plans and believed Trump should dismiss her. No lawsuit had been reported as filed at the time of writing.

Inspector General Probe and Hill Pressure

The $100,000 (£75,500) claim is one of several to emerge since late September. The Wall Street Journal has also reported allegations that she boasted of links to wealthy Greek men who helped fund her luxury travel, and that the State Department's inspector general is investigating whether she used her position in exchange for gifts or favours from private businessmen.

Deters said he had not been contacted by the inspector general's office. The Daily Mail has reported that she alienated embassy staff. None of the allegations has been proven.

Gregory Meeks, the senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Jeanne Shaheen, the senior Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Robert Garcia, the senior Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, have called for an investigation.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio initially defended her. In Athens last week, he said: 'Our ambassador has been a strong ambassador here.' He later declined to comment on the allegations. The Associated Press reported on Sunday that he and Trump were weighing her dismissal.