The White House has launched an investigation into attempts to impersonate President Donald Trump‘s chief of staff Susie Wiles.
An unknown individual reached out to prominent Republicans and business executives pretending to be Wiles, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter.
Why It Matters
Wiles is one of Trump’s closest advisers, and managed his presidential campaign before entering the White House. She has a long list of senior Republican contacts both in Washington D.C. and in Florida.
This case underscores the growing risk of sophisticated scamming schemes, especially with the growing abilities of artificial intelligence.
What To Know
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the White House reportedly launched the probe following calls and text messages to important figures, including senators and governors.
Wiles told associates that some of the contacts on her personal phone had been hacked, allowing the impersonate to access their private phone numbers, according to the Journal.
Some of the people who received text messages believed they were official requests from Wiles. One lawmaker was reportedly asked to put together a list of people who could be pardoned by Trump. Another received a request for a cash transfer.
In many cases, the individuals who received the messages said the impersonator’s grammar was broken and the tone was more formal than Wiles’ typical texts, according to the Journal.
It is unknown how long the messaging continued for, but the Journal reported that it took place as recently as two weeks ago.
Government officials believe the impersonator used artificial intelligence to copy Wiles’ voice for calls.
What People Are Saying
FBI Director Kash Patel said 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.”
A White House spokesperson said: “The White House takes the cybersecurity of all staff very seriously, and this matter continues to be investigated.”
What Happens Next
Wiles has reportedly asked some of her contacts to disregard the messages and apologized for the incident.
The FBI and the White House will continue to investigate who was behind the scheme.
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