Burnham says he is not embarrassed about hoax Trump aide message exchange
Burnham said the exchange was minimal and quickly reported after he became suspicious, while the British embassy raised concerns with the White House.
- On Tuesday, Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed he exchanged messages with an impostor posing as White House aide Susie Wiles. Speaking in Wolverhampton, he said he was not embarrassed and reported the incident quickly, describing the exchange as "minimal" consequence.
- Reports first emerged Monday via Politico that the British embassy in Washington raised the incident with the White House. A U.S. official clarified Burnham's experience was unrelated to the prior hacking of Wiles' phone.
- This incident adds to a history of high-profile hoaxes targeting British politicians, including past attempts involving Lord David Cameron, Priti Patel, and Ben Wallace. In 1998, impressionist Jon Culshaw successfully contacted Downing Street by pretending to be Lord William Hague.
- President Donald Trump appeared unaware of the specific incident, telling reporters at the White House that he was "sure that he had a miscommunication." Burnham reiterated correct actions were taken in both the UK and U.S.
- The Wall Street Journal reported last year that the FBI launched an investigation into efforts to access Wiles' phone after an unknown person contacted prominent Republicans. These impersonation attempts reveal persistent security challenges facing officials in both America and Britain.
46 Articles
46 Articles
UK prime minister brushes off Susie Wiles impersonator incident: ‘Not embarrassed’
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Tuesday brushed off an incident where he exchanged messages with an impersonator posing as White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, saying he was “not embarrassed.” British outlet Sky News asked Burnham about the incident — pressing the newly elected prime minister on if he felt ashamed by the…
UK Prime Minister Duped in Text Exchange by an Impostor Posing as Trump’s Chief of Staff
Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham traded messages with an impostor posing as White House chief of staff Susie Wiles before he caught on that he was being played. Some shit you shou…
Andy Burnham defends response to White House hoax call: 'I did everything right!'
Andy Burnham has stood by his response to a hoax phone call from an imposter claiming to be White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.The Prime Minister was in contact with an unknown individual pretending to be the key ally of President Donald Trump, but he became suspicious after several messages and reported the incident.Officials were so concerned, the British embassy in Washington raised the matter with the White House directly, reports Politi…
Burnham: 'Zero consequence' from falling for Wiles impersonator
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is insisting that the conversations he had with a scammer impersonating a top White House official were of “zero consequence” and did not present a security concern despite a recent leak of multiple ministers’ phone numbers. Burnham messaged back and forth with a phone number claiming to be White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. The premier became suspicious after only a few messages and subsequently reported…
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