White House warns of possible second compromise of Chief of Staff Susie Wiles' phone after UK prime minister contacted impostor
U.S. officials alerted the White House that Chief of Staff Susie Wiles may have had her phone breached again after the new British prime minister exchanged messages with someone posing as her.
U.S. officials have warned the White House that Chief of Staff Susie Wiles' mobile device may have been compromised for a second time. The alert came after Andy Burnham, who became the United Kingdom's prime minister on July 20, exchanged a few messages with an individual he believed to be Wiles before recognizing the deception. The British Embassy in Washington flagged the incident to the White House, though the content of the messages has not been disclosed.
The incident follows a similar episode last year in which senior politicians and business leaders received calls and messages from someone claiming to be Wiles. At that time, the FBI and the White House launched an investigation, and Wiles reportedly said her contacts had been hacked.
The White House declined to comment on the current matter, and a U.K. government spokesperson said they do not comment on national security issues.
"Nobody can impersonate Susie," President Donald Trump said in May 2025, dismissing earlier reports of a breach. He described Wiles as "an amazing woman" and expressed confidence in her ability to handle the situation.
The phone security concerns arise amid broader scrutiny of communications involving senior officials, including a separate controversy earlier last year involving discussions of secret strikes in Yemen.