Andy Burnham exchanged messages with impersonator posing as White House chief of staff

The impersonation adds to a string of incidents in which political figures have been targeted by fraudsters using AI-generated audio and text to mimic senior officials. CNN reported that the person posing as Wiles used artificial-intelligence technology to replicate her voice, raising concerns about the vulnerability of elected officials to so-called deepfake operations.

AI tools and the impersonation problem

A separate CNN report identified the UK-based politician as Andy Burnham, the directly elected Mayor of Greater Manchester who has long been discussed in Labour circles as a potential national figure. CNN's reporting was corroborated by four sources cited in its story.

The incident surfaced against a politically sensitive backdrop in the UK, where the Labour Party's direction has been a recurring topic since the departure of former leader Keir Starmer. The verified facts do not establish a direct connection between the impersonation scheme and any Labour Party internal politics, and CNN's reporting does not claim one.

CNN reported that the person impersonating Wiles invited messages from the British politician, who initially engaged before becoming suspicious. CNN did not specify the length or the precise content of the exchange beyond the broad description provided by its sources.

Reactions and outstanding questions

Security officials in the US and UK have warned repeatedly that generative-AI tools are making it easier for hostile actors to impersonate senior government figures. The Wiles impersonation is one of several reported attempts in recent years to reach politicians and business executives through convincing forgeries of trusted contacts.

British officials contacted by CNN declined to comment on the specific exchange. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to CNN's reporting. CNN's account has been cited by other outlets including Politico, which has tracked similar impersonation attempts targeting Washington officials.

The episode is likely to intensify scrutiny of how senior political figures verify the identity of people who contact them on encrypted or personal channels, and whether existing protocols are adequate for an era of widely available voice-cloning software.

CNN reported that the sources who described the exchange asked not to be identified, citing the sensitivity of the matter. The identity of the impersonator, and whether the person is based in the United States or abroad, is not addressed in the verified facts available at the time of publication.