UK's Burnham exchanged texts with someone impersonating Trump's chief of staff

Impersonator contacted the prime minister

A British government official has confirmed that Prime Minister Andy Burnham exchanged a brief series of text messages with someone impersonating Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff under President Donald Trump. The official described the exchange as short.

Wiles holds one of the most powerful positions in the Trump administration, overseeing the operations of the White House and access to the president. That is part of why an attempt to impersonate her in contact with the head of a foreign government is being treated as a notable security concern.

Limited details so far

The British government has publicly acknowledged the episode but has not yet explained how the impersonator obtained Burnham's contact details, what the messages said, or exactly when the exchange took place. It also remains unclear whether U.S. officials have been notified or whether a formal investigation is underway.

The incident draws attention to the broader risk facing senior political figures: that fraudsters can pose as well-known officials in an attempt to gain access to, or trust from, other world leaders through informal channels such as text messaging. Such impersonation attempts have increasingly been flagged as a growing security concern at the highest levels of government.

The British government has not said whether it plans additional safeguards for the prime minister's communication channels following the incident.