White House Chief of Staff's Phone Hacked in Alleged Impersonation Scheme
ICARO Media Group
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In a recent security breach, an impersonator reportedly hacked into the phone of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, President Donald Trump announced on Friday. The individual allegedly assumed Wiles' identity, making calls and sending messages to her high-profile contacts. President Trump expressed confidence in Wiles' ability to manage the situation, calling her "an amazing woman" who "can handle it."
The White House has confirmed that an investigation is underway to understand the extent of the breach. According to The Wall Street Journal, senators, governors, and business executives have received communications from someone purporting to be Wiles. Although these messages and calls did not come from Wiles' actual phone number, it appears the impersonator accessed contacts stored on her device, as per sources familiar with the matter.
The FBI has underscored the seriousness of threats to the president and his staff's cybersecurity. FBI Director Kash Patel stated, "Safeguarding our administration officials' ability to securely communicate to accomplish the president's mission is a top priority."
This incident comes on the heels of a public warning released earlier in the month by the FBI regarding a "malicious text and voice messaging campaign" that began in April. The FBI's announcement highlighted that these malicious actors have been impersonating senior U.S. officials to target other high-level government personnel and their contacts. They are said to use a mix of text messages and AI-generated voice calls under the guise of top U.S. authorities.
The ongoing investigation aims to determine the full scope of what the impersonator may have accessed, especially considering Wiles' position, which grants her the highest level of security clearance. This is not the first time officials linked with the administration have been targeted. Last year, FBI agents examining alleged Iranian hacking attempts found evidence suggesting that Wiles, a former lobbyist with a extensive contacts list, was among the targets.
As the situation develops, the FBI and White House remain vigilant in combating cyber threats posed to U.S. officials and their ability to perform their duties securely.