Federal authorities have launched an investigation in an effort to discover who secretly tried to impersonate White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. According to The Wall Street Journal, an unidentified individual gained access to Wiles’ personal cell phone contacts and began impersonating her. The individual used AI-generated voice technology and spoofed phone numbers to reach out to influential Republican lawmakers, governors and business leaders.
What happened?
In recent weeks, recipients received texts and phone calls from someone claiming to be Wiles. Some of the calls reportedly used artificial intelligence to mimic her voice, while others came through messaging platforms such as Telegram. Several targets were asked to provide sensitive information. One lawmaker was asked for a list of people eligible for presidential pardons, according to the Wall Street Journal report. In at least one case, the impersonator also requested a cash transfer.
How were suspicions raised?
While some initially believed the communications were legitimate, doubts quickly surfaced. Newsweek reported that the impersonator was unable to answer basic questions about Trump, used uncharacteristically formal language and poor grammar and operated from phone numbers not associated with Wiles. Multiple individuals flagged the behavior to federal authorities, triggering the current investigation.
Wiles confirmed the messages and phone calls were not from her and that her personal cell phone’s contacts had been compromised. She urged anyone contacted by the impersonator to reach out directly to her to verify communications.
Warning to potential contacts
Now the FBI and White House are trying to figure out who is behind the impersonation effort and what they sought to get out of the criminal act. U.S. intelligence agencies have reportedly warned U.S. lawmakers about the hacker’s activity. Investigators said it is currently unknown how the impersonator was able to hack into Wiles’ device.
Response from White House and FBI
In statements to the Journal and CBS News, the White House and FBI emphasized the seriousness of the situation.
“The White House takes the cybersecurity of all staff very seriously, and this matter continues to be investigated,” a White House spokesperson said.
“The FBI takes all threats against the president, his staff, and our cybersecurity with the utmost seriousness,” FBI Director Kash Patel added. “Safeguarding our administration officials’ ability to securely communicate to accomplish the president’s mission is a top priority.”
Who is Susie Wiles?
Wiles is considered to be President Donald Trump’s closest advisor. She led Trump’s first campaign for president and has deep connections to prominent Republicans in Washington D.C. and Florida, where she spent several years working with politicians.
The impersonation message reportedly continued even while Wiles was traveling with Trump on a recent trip to the Middle East, highlighting the persistent nature of the breach.
Not the first hacking attempt
This isn’t Wiles’ first brush with cyberattacks. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Iranian hackers reportedly gained access to her email and research files on Trump’s running mate JD Vance.
Wiles’ latest data breach comes as the Trump administration struggles with hacks into sensitive information. Earlier this month, a hacker gained access to former Trump national security advisor Mike Waltz’s messages to a number of U.S. officials. According to Reuters, U.S. intelligence agencies are also monitoring a Chinese-linked espionage campaign known as “Salt Typhoon,” which allegedly targeted the phone calls of senior U.S. political figures.
