British Prime Minister Exchanged Messages With Impersonator of Top Trump Aide

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham exchanged messages with an individual impersonating White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.

The exchange, described as a few messages of no significance, occurred after Burnham became prime minister in July. Burnham began to suspect the contact was illegitimate during the conversation. The British embassy in Washington raised the incident with the White House due to concerns that Wiles' phone may have been hacked again. Last May, the FBI and White House investigated a similar incident where an impersonator used Wiles' contacts to reach out to other officials.

The White House has stated it takes the cybersecurity of its staff seriously. Downing Street declined to comment on national security matters. The timing and content of the messages between Burnham and the impersonator remain unclear.