UK PM exchanged messages with person impersonating Trump adviser

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham exchanged messages with someone impersonating White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, POLITICO reports, citing officials.

The report said the contact took place after Burnham entered No. 10, with the prime minister eventually becoming suspicious that the person was not genuinely Wiles.

One official briefed on the exchange said a “few messages” were sent but described them as “of no significance.”

Downing Street declined to comment, saying: “We do not comment on national security matters.”

The British embassy in Washington raised the incident with the White House, according to two officials familiar with the matter. There were also concerns within the UK government that Wiles’ phone may have been compromised again.

The White House declined to comment.

The incident follows a similar case last year, when the White House and FBI investigated messages and calls sent to US senators, governors and business executives by someone posing as Trump’s chief of staff. The Wall Street Journal subsequently reported that Wiles had told associates her cellphone contacts had been hacked.

It remains unclear what Burnham and the impersonator discussed or when the messages were exchanged, with details of the incident being kept confidential.

Burnham became prime minister on July 20, although his path to No. 10 had been apparent since he won the Makerfield by-election on June 18.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov