Embarrassment at Downing 10: Prime Minister Corresponded with Impersonator of Trump's Chief of Staff

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham corresponded for a week with an impersonator posing as Susie Wiles, Trump's chief of staff. The incident was first reported by Politico and raised concerns at the British embassy. Downing Street sources acknowledged the contact but claimed the messages were not significant, though they raise security concerns.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham corresponded for a week with a person impersonating Susie Wiles, the powerful chief of staff to US President Donald Trump, without realizing it was a fraud. The incident, first reported by the American news site Politico, caused such concern at the British embassy that officials raised alarms with their counterparts at the White House. Downing Street sources admitted that Burnham was in contact with the impersonator but claimed the messages were not significant. However, the messages will raise concerns about national security, as British officials reportedly feared that Wiles's phone had been hacked again, after an impersonator allegedly sent a text message and called her contacts in May 2025 to request financial and presidential pardons. The article notes that Keir Starmer resigned four days after the election to make way for his successor, and that last year US intelligence services warned of an 'ongoing malicious text and voice campaign'. Additionally, US authorities have previously accused hackers acting on behalf of Iran in the final months of Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, and information security has been a persistent concern at the White House, including a breach of Mike Waltz's communications service in April 2025 and interception of messages from US officials.