British Prime Minister Andy Burnham engaged in a text message exchange with an individual impersonating Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff and close adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump.
The incident raised such serious concerns at the British Embassy in Washington that officials brought the matter directly to the attention of the White House.
Downing Street, the office of the British prime minister, declined to comment on specifics of the case, stating only that "we do not comment on national security matters".
However, a source briefed on the communications indicated that only "a few messages" were exchanged since Burnham assumed office, and emphasized that they were "of no significance".
British government officials expressed concern that Wile's phone may have been compromised again, following an incident last year when the White House and FBI launched an investigation after senators and senior officials received messages and calls from someone claiming to be the chief of staff.
The Wall Street Journal reported at the time that Wiles told associates her contact list had been exposed. The content of the conversations and the exact timing of when the messages were sent remain classified and have not been publicly disclosed. Burnham entered office as prime minister on July 20, 2026, after his victory in the Makerfield by-election on June 18, 2026, marked him as the successor to Keir Starmer.
