In a conventional political environment, Kimberly Guilfoyle might already be considering a one way flight out of Athens. Instead, the U.S. ambassador to Greece is facing new corruption allegations that threaten to become yet another problem for President Donald Trump and his administration.

Guilfoyle, a former Fox News contributor and Donald Trump Jr.’s former fiancée, was already drawing scrutiny over her conduct as ambassador. The Wall Street Journal reported that lobbyist Christos Marafatsos attended so many official meetings that some foreign officials mistook him for Guilfoyle’s chief of staff.

Marafatsos works for Greek construction firm Aktor Group, which Guilfoyle has promoted for energy deals, according to the Journal. Her support reportedly puzzled officials in the region and raised concerns among key congressional Democrats.

The controversy grew considerably more serious this week when the Journal reported on messages between Guilfoyle and Eric Deters, a Trump donor and failed former Republican congressional candidate. MS NOW said it had not independently verified the reporting.

According to the Journal, Guilfoyle contacted Deters while preparing for her congressional hearing to become ambassador. She allegedly requested $100,000 to cover an American Express debt and wanted the payment handled without creating a paper trail.

“It won’t show up anywhere if you wire money to American Express,” Guilfoyle wrote on Signal, according to messages reviewed by the Journal. She followed that appeal with a blunt, single word request: “Please.”

Deters, meanwhile, was seeking help from the Trump administration with personal tax and legal issues, the Journal reported. He was reportedly prepared to pay Guilfoyle as much as $1 million if she used her influence within Team Trump to address his problems.

The messages portrayed Guilfoyle as assuring Deters that she could deliver access and assistance. In early July, however, the then nominee apparently sought an advance from him before her confirmation hearing.

“Honey please I need you to get this done for me today,” Guilfoyle texted Deters, adding a prayer hands emoji and a PDF containing American Express payment instructions. “You could just send it here,” she wrote on July 3, 2025, six days before her July 9 confirmation hearing.

Deters ultimately refused the request. The Journal also reported that Guilfoyle appeared worried about the possibility that their communications could become public.

“Eric, I really wish you would stop papering all these things,” she warned him in one exchange, apparently using “papering” to describe putting controversial statements in writing. That is not exactly the sort of message that makes concerns about a paper trail disappear.

Deters also expressed frustration with what he viewed as a poor return on his spending. “I have paid you $300,000 over the years,” he wrote to Guilfoyle. “As of this memo, I have not received one favor. I am not naive or a sucker. I need results.”

A lawyer for Guilfoyle said she disputed the authenticity of the messages obtained by the Journal, but he declined to provide specific details. Deters told the newspaper, “She never came through on anything.”

The allegations quickly alarmed some Republicans. Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon told MS NOW, “If true, it is bad,” while another House Republican, speaking anonymously, said, “This is the type of crap that will cost us the majority.”

Vice President JD Vance was asked about the report Thursday morning during an unrelated press conference. “Well, so, with that hypothetical, obviously I don’t love that, but I, you know, I don’t know exactly who you’re talking about, I don’t know the full details,” he replied.

The timing offers Republicans little relief, with 26 days remaining in the midterm election cycle. Democrats were already focusing heavily on corruption allegations involving the Republican administration before the Guilfoyle controversy erupted.

During an on air appearance with MS NOW’s Peter Alexander on Thursday morning, Deters escalated his criticism. “I cannot stand Kimberly Guilfoyle. Kimberly Guilfoyle is a wicked evil person. She thought I was going to be a sucker, and I’m not a sucker.”

Deters also described his previous arrangement with Guilfoyle as “absolutely … a quid pro quo.” In an ordinary political environment, allegations involving payments, influence and requests to avoid a paper trail would make an ambassador’s future look awfully uncertain.