UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham Cut Off Messages After Realising He Was Contacting an Impostor Claiming to Be Trump’s Chief of Staff

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham was reported to have exchanged messages with someone claiming to be Susie Wiles, the chief of staff to U.S. President Donald Trump, before ending the contact when the deception became apparent. A Burnham spokesperson declined to comment, citing policy against discussing national-security matters.

Politico said four unnamed officials first reported that Burnham believed he was speaking with Wiles and later grew suspicious, prompting him to sever the exchange. The White House stated the episode was unrelated to any hacking of Wiles’ devices.

The incident follows a U.S. investigation last year into a wave of messages sent to elected officials, business leaders and other prominent figures by an individual posing as Wiles. In response, the State Department warned diplomats about AI-driven impersonations of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and possibly other officials, after an impostor using Rubio’s identity attempted contact with foreign ministers, a senator and a governor. The FBI has also warned that malicious actors may exploit artificial intelligence to mimic senior U.S. government officials.