The FBI has warned of ‘malicious actors’ misusing AI to impersonate senior authorities officers.
Printed On 17 Aug 2026
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has reportedly exchanged messages with somebody posing as a senior authorities official in the USA.
The UK chief believed he was chatting with White Home Chief of Employees Susie Wiles in a latest alternate of messages, the Politico information outlet reported on Monday. US authorities have warned in latest months about AI getting used to impersonate senior authorities officers.
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In response to the report, sources mentioned that Burnham exchanged a “few messages” however that they have been “of no significance”. The contents of the messages stay unclear.
Burnham then reportedly turned suspicious, lower off communications and knowledgeable the related authorities.
A British authorities spokesperson refused to touch upon the report, saying it’s in opposition to coverage to debate “nationwide safety issues”.
The British Embassy within the US was reportedly extraordinarily involved in regards to the incident and determined to tell the White Home, which has since confirmed that the “incident had nothing to do with the Chief of Employees’s units being hacked”.
Concern over communications safety has risen throughout President Donald Trump’s second time period.
The FBI warned of “malicious actors” misusing AI to impersonate senior authorities officers because it launched an investigation final 12 months, alongside the White Home, into an imposter who posed as Wiles and contacted senior Republicans and enterprise officers.
Two months later, the State Division introduced it was investigating an imposter who pretended to be Secretary of State Marco Rubio and contacted three overseas ministers.
The Trump administration got here underneath intense scrutiny in March final 12 months after it emerged {that a} US journalist was added to a gaggle chat on the Sign app wherein prime safety officers have been discussing navy strikes on the Houthis in Yemen.
A report revealed by the Pentagon in December concluded that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth might have endangered US troopers after sharing secret data within the chat.
