UK Prime Minister Exchanged Messages With Fake White House Chief of Staff

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham exchanged messages with someone impersonating White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles before becoming suspicious that the contact was illegitimate, Politico reported Monday. The incident raised concerns inside the UK government and prompted the British Embassy in Washington to alert the White House, according to four officials familiar with the matter.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Downing Street declined to comment on the communications, saying: “We do not comment on national security matters.” One person briefed on the exchange said that “a few messages” were sent after Burnham entered No. 10, but insisted they were “of no significance.” British embassy raised concerns The British Embassy in Washington reportedly contacted the White House after officials became concerned about the exchange. There were also fears inside the UK government that Wiles’ phone could have been hacked again. The White House declined to comment. It remains unclear what was discussed in the messages or when exactly they were sent. The communications have reportedly been kept closely guarded. Burnham became prime minister on July 20, although it was clear he was on course to succeed Keir Starmer after winning the Makerfield by-election on June 18. Previous impersonation attempt The incident comes after a similar case involving Wiles last year. The White House and the FBI launched an investigation after US senators, governors and business executives received text messages and phone calls from someone claiming to be Trump’s chief of staff. Other Topics of Interest Trump Says US Scaling Back Military Drills With Seoul Hours Before Start Trump cited his “good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as he said he was unhappy about the drills that were designed to prepare for a possible attack by Pyongyang. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Wiles told associates her cellphone contacts had been hacked. The latest incident has raised concerns because Burnham believed he was communicating directly with one of US President Donald Trump’s closest advisers. It is not known whether the impersonator obtained sensitive information from the UK prime minister or whether any security-sensitive matters were discussed. White House chief of staff: top advisor, gatekeeper to the US president, West Wing The White House chief of staff is perhaps the highest ranked individual within a presidential administration that doesn’t require US Senate confirmation. The management of the West Wing including staff members is only one part of the post’s duties. The White House chief of staff controls access to the President and information that penetrates the Oval Office, acting as the gatekeeper to the so-called leader of the free world. They are the chief strategic advisor to the president across all areas of the executive branch and coordinate legislative actions with congressional leaders. Previous White House chiefs of staff include future Vice President Dick Cheney, future Secretaries of Defense Leon Panetta and Donald Rumsfeld, future Secretary of State James Baker, and other influential political and international policy figures. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.