UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham contacted impersonator claiming to be White House chief of staff
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Andy Burnham exchanged a few messages with someone posing as White House chief of staff Susie Wiles before officials flagged the contact as fraudulent, prompting diplomatic concerns.
London – New Prime Minister Andy Burnham exchanged a short series of messages with an individual who claimed to be White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, according to four officials familiar with the matter. Burnham began the exchange after taking office at No. 10 Downing Street but later grew suspicious that the contact was not genuine.
Downing Street declined to comment on national-security aspects of the incident. One source said the messages were "of no significance" and that the British embassy in Washington raised the issue with the White House.
British officials expressed concern that Wiles’ phone might have been compromised, although a White House spokesperson said the incident was unrelated to any hacking of the chief of staff’s devices. The episode follows a 2023 investigation by the White House and the FBI after U.S. officials reported receiving texts and calls from someone claiming to be Wiles. Details of the conversation and its timing remain undisclosed.