UK PM Burnham Duped By Impersonator Of Top Trump Aide

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham

UK PM Burnham Duped By Impersonator Of Top Trump Aide

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham exchanged messages with an individual impersonating White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles before becoming suspicious—a major security lapse that prompted the UK embassy in Washington to raise the matter directly with the Trump administration .

Burnham, who took office on July 20, reportedly believed he was communicating with Wiles, one of US President Donald Trump‘s closest advisers and the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff. A person briefed on the matter told Politico that a “few messages” were exchanged before Burnham became suspicious, but insisted they were “of no significance.” Sources said the communication was through text messages only, with no telephone conversation taking place, and the suspicious activity was “quickly reported to the appropriate authorities” once concerns emerged.

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International relations expert Professor Anthony Glees of the University of Buckingham suggested the incident was most likely the work of a foreign intelligence service—pointing to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, Russian, or Chinese intelligence as possible culprits. He noted that Wiles was among those targeted by an Iranian cyber espionage unit in 2024. Professor Glees also questioned why Burnham’s security team apparently failed to inform him that Wiles’ phone had been previously hacked, and that any messages purporting to come from her should have been treated with extreme caution. “My guess is that they would be about Burnham’s views on international affairs, particularly perhaps Trump and Netanyahu’s war on Iran, and Putin’s war on Ukraine,” he said. The incident follows an FBI investigation into an attempted hack of Wiles’ personal phone in May 2025. At that time, Wiles told associates her phone had been compromised after an impersonator used her contacts file to message other top US officials. Recipients included US senators, governors, and top business executives. The impersonation was targeted at her personal phone, not her government phone. The FBI director said at the time: “The FBI takes all threats against the President, his staff, and our cybersecurity with the utmost seriousness.”

Burnham, who became prime minister on July 20, has been working to establish a positive relationship with Trump. The pair have held a formal phone call, during which Burnham set out his vision for the UK and discussed UK security matters, the Middle East situation, and the upcoming World Cup. However, in his first major interview as Prime Minister, Burnham stated he would be prepared to call out Trump where necessary to defend Britain’s national interest. A Downing Street spokesperson declined to comment on the security breach, stating: “We do not comment on national security matters.” The White House has also declined to comment publicly. The incident is not the first time a senior British politician has been targeted by an impersonator.