New UK PM Andy Burnham Targeted in Ongoing Trump Aide Impersonation Scam That Once Hit US Senators

Britain's new prime minister, Andy Burnham, was drawn into an exchange with someone posing as US President Donald Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles, in an incident serious enough for the British embassy in Washington to alert the White House.

Burnham became suspicious that the contact was not genuine and the exchange was reported to the appropriate authorities, according to officials cited by POLITICO.

One person briefed on the communications said a 'few messages' were exchanged after Burnham entered No 10 and described them as 'of no significance'.

The incident has drawn attention because the same identity was previously used in an impersonation campaign that reached US senators, governors and business executives.

PM Drawn Into Messages With Wiles Impersonator

The person communicating with Burnham presented themselves as Wiles, one of Trump's closest advisers and the White House chief of staff. It is not clear when the exchange took place or what was discussed. Officials have not disclosed the content of the messages.

Burnham took office on July 20, making him prime minister for less than a month when details of the incident emerged. He had been on course to become prime minister since winning the Makerfield by-election on June 18.

Downing Street declined to discuss the incident. 'We do not comment on national security matters,' a government spokesperson said.

The British embassy in Washington raised the exchange with the White House, according to officials familiar with the matter. There were concerns within the UK government that Wiles' phone could have been compromised again.

The White House rejected that explanation. 'This incident had nothing to do with the Chief of Staff's devices being hacked,' a White House official said.

Impersonation Tactic Has Previously Reached Senior US Figures

The Burnham exchange follows an earlier campaign in which someone posed as Wiles while contacting prominent figures in the United States.

In May 2025, federal authorities investigated after senators, governors and business executives received calls and messages from a person claiming to be Trump's chief of staff.

Wiles told associates that her personal phone contacts had been compromised, according to reporting at the time.

The impersonator used Wiles' identity to approach people in her network. Some recipients questioned the authenticity of the communications, while investigators examined how the person had obtained access to high-profile contacts.

The campaign was not limited to political figures. Business executives were also among those contacted, according to the earlier investigation. The FBI and White House became involved in examining the attempted impersonation.

That history formed part of the context surrounding the latest contact with Burnham. The British leader was not the only prominent figure to receive a fake message using Wiles' identity; he was the latest known recipient of that kind of approach.

White House Insists Wiles' Devices Are Secure

The latest incident has not been linked to a new compromise of Wiles' devices. The White House has specifically denied that her phone or other devices were hacked in connection with Burnham's messages. The source of the impersonator's access to the UK prime minister has not been disclosed.

It is also unclear whether the person behind the messages is the same individual involved in the 2025 campaign. The available reporting sets out the repeated use of Wiles' identity but does not identify the person responsible.

There is no indication that sensitive information was obtained from Burnham. The person briefed on the exchange said the messages were 'of no significance', and officials said Burnham became suspicious during the communication.

British Embassy Raised Concerns With Washington

The embassy's involvement brought the issue to the attention of US officials. Officials familiar with the matter said British representatives in Washington raised the episode with the White House after learning that Burnham had communicated with someone posing as Wiles.

The UK government has not disclosed what prompted the alert or provided further details about the messages. The incident comes as Burnham settles into his first weeks as prime minister and as communications between senior British and US officials continue to be governed by security protocols.