Rabat – British Prime Minister Andy Burnham was duped into exchanging messages with an impostor impersonating White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles before becoming suspicious and ending the communication.
According to the Associated Press, four unnamed officials told Politico that Burnham initially believed he was texting Wiles during the brief exchange.
Officials emphasized that no significant information was disclosed before the activity was flagged and reported to the relevant authorities.
Refusing to provide further details, a Downing Street spokesperson cited standard policy against commenting on national security matters.
The British Embassy in Washington also contacted US officials directly after concerns emerged over the exchange. Meanwhile, a White House official confirmed that the incident was not linked to any hacking of Wiles’ devices.
Asked about the incident on Monday, Trump appeared to downplay the episode, telling reporters in the Oval Office, “I’m sure that he had a miscommunication.”
Previous impersonation attempts
The incident follows previous attempts to impersonate senior US officials. Last year, the US government investigated messages sent to elected officials, business executives, and other prominent figures by someone posing as Wiles.
The FBI has also warned that malicious actors are using artificial intelligence to impersonate senior US government officials, raising wider concerns over digital security.
Burnham, who became prime minister in July, has worked to establish solid ties with Washington following the deterioration of Trump’s initially warm rapport with his predecessor, Keir Starmer.
