Eric Deters files defamation lawsuit against Kimberly Guilfoyle

October 15, 2026 / 2:54 PM EDT / CBS News

Eric Deters, the Republican donor who accused Kimberly Guilfoyle of asking him to wire her $100,000 to pay her American Express bill in exchange for her help with the Trump administration ahead of her Senate confirmation hearing, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Guilfoyle and her legal team.

Guilfoyle was pushed out of her ambassadorship to Greece earlier this week, announcing her resignation Tuesday. Guilfoyle's team publicly disputed the authenticity of text messages Deters shared with multiple news outlets, including CBS News.

Deters filed the lawsuit in Kentucky state court on Thursday.

Deters said Guilfoyle's legal team issued a statement to the Wall Street Journal claiming Deters owed Guilfoyle money and did not fulfill his obligations. The Journal published part of her attorney's statement, that Guilfoyle "was owed a balance for traveling to and supporting these patriotic events," which Deters denies.

"Kim Guilfoyle and her lawyers claimed my allegations were false and they would defend the allegations vigorously," Deters wrote in a statement accompanying his lawsuit. "Now they can in Kentucky."

CBS News has reached out to the attorneys named in the lawsuit — Jesse Binnall and David M. Schwartz…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/