British leader reportedly became suspicious after limited communication as authorities examine security concerns surrounding impersonation attempts

LONDON: British Prime Minister Andy Burnham exchanged messages with an individual impersonating US President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, before identifying the communication as suspicious, Politico reported on Monday.

Citing four officials familiar with the incident, the report said Burnham communicated briefly with the individual before concerns emerged over whether the person was genuinely Wiles.

Only a “few messages” passed between Burnham and the suspected impersonator, according to the report. The communication was subsequently reported to the relevant authorities after officials determined that it appeared suspicious.

Government Says No Significant Information Was Shared

A source familiar with the incident said the exchange contained “no messages of significance” and stressed that officials acted quickly after questions arose about the contact’s authenticity.

Meanwhile, a British government spokesperson declined to discuss details when approached by the BBC, saying the government does not comment on national security matters.

The report did not disclose how the impersonator contacted Burnham, what subjects appeared in the messages or whether investigators have identified the individual responsible.

However, the episode has renewed attention on cybersecurity threats involving the impersonation of senior government officials.

Incident Follows Previous Susie Wiles Phone Hack

The latest development follows an earlier security incident involving Wiles and her communications.

The BBC previously reported that the FBI was investigating the hacking of Wiles’ phone in May last year.

At the time, Wiles said her device had been compromised after an impersonator, or potentially multiple impersonators, apparently gained access to information from her contact list.

The perpetrators subsequently used those details to send messages to senior American officials while posing as Wiles.

Consequently, Burnham’s reported exchange has raised further questions about attempts to exploit trusted political contacts for deception.

British authorities have not publicly disclosed whether the latest incident is directly connected to the previous breach involving Wiles or represents a separate impersonation operation.