Burnham exchanged messages with impersonator of top Trump aide
U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham inadvertently engaged in a text message exchange with an impersonator posing as White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. The incident has raised security concerns, though officials claim the messages were of no significance.
Why it matters
It highlights vulnerabilities in high-level diplomatic communications and the ongoing threat of sophisticated social engineering attacks against world leaders.
The U.K. leader believed he was communicating with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.
Copy Link Copied Share via email Share on X Share on WhatsApp Share on LinkedIn U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham engages with local community members in Stevenage, England, on Aug. 12, 2026. | Ben Montgomery/Getty Images Exclusive August 17, 2026 7:00 am CET By Sam Blewett LONDON — U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham engaged with messages from somebody impersonating one of Donald Trump’s closest advisers, four officials have told POLITICO.
The new PM communicated with someone posing as White House chief of staff Susie Wiles before becoming suspicious that the contact was illegitimate, the officials said.
“We do not comment on national security matters,” Downing Street said. One person briefed on the communications said a “few messages” were exchanged after the PM entered No. 10 but insisted they were “of no significance.”
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in