E-Paper
Who is Eric Deters? Kimberly Guilfoyle sought funds from Kentucky MAGA donor in exchange of favors, report claims
WSJ reports Kimberly Guilfoyle allegedly sought $100,000 from MAGA donor Eric Deters, offering Trump administration favors; her lawyers dispute the messages.
Prefer HTon Google
A former Kentucky Congressional candidate and well-known donor of Donald Trump's MAGA has come under scrutiny after a report on his alleged text exchanges with Kimberly Guilfoyle, the US Envoy to Greece and former fiancé of Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr.
On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal published an explosive report alleging that Kimberly Guilfoyle allegedly texted Kentucky MAGA donor Eric Deters to pay her $100,000 credit card bill, offering multiple favors in return. The favors included using her connection in the Trump administration to help Deters with his issues with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Justice.
Kimberly Guilfoyle was a key member of Trump's campaign team. After Trump took office, she worked briefly with Fox News as a legal analyst alongside fundraising work for Trump. She was confirmed as the US Ambassador to Greece by the US Senate in September 2025 after Trump nominated her.
According to the Wall Street Journal report, Kimberly Guilfoyle asked Eric Deters to pay the $100,000 credit card bill just months before her Senate confirmation. "Honey please I need you to get this done for me today," she texted Deters on July 3. Deters refused to it, saying, ""I can't do this without getting a divorce."
Also read: What did Stephen A. Smith say about Lane Johnson? ESPN host issues apology amid major backlash
Guilfoyle also reportedly warned him against documenting their financial transactions, noting that it could cost her the role of Greece envoy. "What a nightmare you'll literally cost me my ambassadorship stop writing," she reportedly told her in a text sent in January 2025.
"For months, she had been chatting with Eric Deters, a former congressional candidate in Kentucky who was seeking her help in getting the attention of the new Trump admin on some personal tax and legal issues and had promised payments of as much as $1 million if she was successful," the WSJ reported.
Eric Deters spoke to the Wall Street Journal about his interactions with Guilfoyle. Kimberly Guilfoyle's attorneys, however, have disputed the authenticity of the messages and claimed that the payments made were for money Deters allegedly owed Guilfoyle.
Deters, however, said that he paid Kimberly Guilfoyle a one-time $300,000 speaking fee allegedly in exchange for similar favors. However, Deters alleges that the 57-year-old delivered none of those favors.
Who Is Eric Deters?
Eric Deters is a criminal lawyer who became a media personality known for his conservative commentary on news channel discussions. A vocal Trump supporter, Eric Deters attempted to enter the political arena, riding on Trump's popularity ahead of the 2024 US election.
He ran unsuccessfully for Kentucky Governor in 2022. It was followed by an attempt to challenge GOP Rep. and Trump critic Thomas Massie from Kentucky's 4th Congressional District. But even that was unsuccessful.
Eric Deters has played a key role in pushing Trump's MAGA agenda in Kentucky. Since 2021, he has been organising the Patriots Day Freedom Fest, a fundraiser-cum-gathering for MAGA supporters and donors, at his farm in northern Kentucky.
After running successfully for five consecutive years, the 2026 edition of the Patriots Day Freedom Fest was canceled after Deters team managed to sell only 6 of the 100 VIP tickets.
