US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle has responded to allegations made by Eric Deters through her lawyers, arguing that he is attempting to portray a financial dispute over services she provided before being nominated for the diplomatic post as a case of alleged misconduct.

In their statement, attorneys Jesse Binnall and David M. Schwartz say Deters still owes her approximately $150,000. They also announce that they are considering the available legal options to recover the amount, as well as any potential additional claims.

At the heart of the response is the assertion that Guilfoyle’s financial claims relate exclusively to speaking engagements and consulting work carried out in 2024 and early 2025. Her legal representatives reject the characterisation of the matter as a “quid pro quo,” or an exchange involving something given in return for a favour, arguing that it was simply a request for payment for work already performed. As they explain, Guilfoyle sought to settle her outstanding financial claims as she prepared to move from the private sector into public service.

The $200,000 Contract and the Outstanding Balance

According to the statement, Deters hired Guilfoyle as a keynote speaker at the “Freedom Fest” events in Kentucky, which, her lawyers say, he used to raise his public profile ahead of his bids for governor and Congress. On May 20, 2024, he signed a contract with the agency responsible for booking her appearances and collecting her fees. The agreement stipulated a flat fee of $200,000, payable by May 31 of that year.

Her lawyers say that additional speaking engagements and strategic communications and fundraising services were also agreed upon. In support of the consulting agreement, they cite a third party who, they maintain, was present and has confirmed the arrangement under oath. According to the same statement, Deters failed to meet the payment deadline and subsequently made partial payments over several months without settling the balance in full.

The ambassador’s legal team also cites text messages in which, according to the lawyers, Deters blamed the delays on his business partner and legal advisers, while describing himself as a “millionaire with a cash-flow problem.” The outstanding amount for all the services in question stands at approximately $150,000, according to the statement.

Reference to the $1 Million Offer

A separate part of the response concerns an offer that, according to Guilfoyle’s legal representatives, Deters himself has described to journalists. They say he offered her $1 million to help publicise and promote a private medical malpractice lawsuit of his and bring it to the attention of US government officials. The lawyers state unequivocally that Guilfoyle rejected the offer.

They also attribute to Deters a statement that he had paid more money for her speaking engagements than he believed he should have because he was seeking to cultivate a relationship with Donald Trump’s circle.

The statement presents these accounts as evidence contradicting Deters’ allegations. These are the claims of Guilfoyle’s side, which cites a contract, messages and sworn confirmation, although those documents are not included in the text of the statement itself.

What She Says About Private Jet Flights

The ambassador’s lawyers also reject media reports about her travel as misleading. They maintain that before using any private aircraft, Guilfoyle requested and received guidance from the State Department and followed that guidance, complying with the department’s travel regulations.

According to the statement, she has also complied with the applicable federal rules on ethics, the acceptance of gifts and disclosure requirements—something her lawyers say the embassy has already confirmed. The statement does not provide details of individual flights, amounts paid or how each expense was covered.

The response concludes with a reference to the energy priorities of Guilfoyle’s tenure and the strengthening of the Greece–US strategic relationship. Her legal representatives emphasise that she will continue to perform her duties “with integrity, honour and distinguished service,” while leaving open the possibility of further legal proceedings in the dispute with Deters.