Key facts
- U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham communicated with an impersonator of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
- Burnham became suspicious of the contact's legitimacy.
- The British embassy in Washington reported the incident to the White House.
- There were fears within the U.K. government that Wiles' phone had been hacked.
U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham engaged in message exchanges with an individual impersonating White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, a close adviser to Donald Trump. Burnham became suspicious of the contact's legitimacy before the communications were revealed.
Four officials told POLITICO that a "few messages" were exchanged after Burnham entered No. 10, but insisted they were "of no significance." The British embassy in Washington was reportedly concerned enough about the incident to raise it with the White House.
Within the U.K. government, there were fears that Wiles' phone had been hacked, a concern that has been investigated by the White House and FBI in the past. The specifics of the conversation and the timing of the messages remain unclear.