Federal investigation into attempts to deceitfully represent one of Trump's top advisors
A law enforcement investigation is underway concerning attempts to impersonate President Donald Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, this investigation stems from senators, governors, top U.S. executives, and other well-known figures receiving text messages and phone calls from someone claiming to be Wiles.
Wiles, a key advisor to the president and a long-standing Republican contact, has expressed concern that her personal phone and contact list have been hacked. Unusual calls to high-profile individuals on her list have led some recipients to question the authenticity of the messages, according to a senior White House official.
Major executives, members of Congress, and governors were among those who received messages from the individual claiming to be Wiles. Due to the suspicion surrounding these calls, some recipients attempted to verify the messages by contacting the White House. This is how the White House first became aware of the impersonator, as reported by the official.
In light of these events, the investigation comes after the FBI warned earlier this month about hackers using AI-generated voice messages to impersonate senior US government officials, potentially targeting additional government officials or their associates and contacts.
The White House is giving top priority to ensuring the security of its communication, with a White House official stating, "The White House takes the cybersecurity of all staff very seriously, and this matter continues to be investigated."
FBI Director Kash Patel has acknowledged the seriousness of the situation in a statement: "The FBI takes all threats against the president, his staff, and our cybersecurity with the utmost seriousness. Safeguarding our administration officials' ability to securely communicate to accomplish the president's mission is a top priority."
Wiles declined to comment on the matter through a spokesperson. Citing awareness of reports about the impersonation attempts, President Trump publicly affirmed, "She's an amazing woman. She can handle it, but I've heard that they breached her phones or they tried to impersonate her. Nobody can impersonate Susie. There's only one Susie."
In her role as chief of staff, Wiles is the first woman to hold this title. She has been a trusted advisor to Trump for an extended period, having previously served as his 2024 campaign manager. Reportedly, when Wiles was selected for the position, she made certain demands concerning who should have access to the president in the Oval Office, as well as maintaining a disciplined campaign by keeping fringe voices at bay.
This news story has been updated with additional reporting from Hannah Rabinowitz, Kaanita Iyer, and Alejandra Jaramillo of our company.
Technology was potentially utilized in the impersonation of President Donald Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles, as the FBI has warned about hackers using AI-generated voice messages to impersonate senior US government officials. Politics and general news outlets are reporting on this ongoing investigation, with crime-and-justice implications arising from these attempts to deceive high-profile figures in the United States.
