Trump downplays worries over Burnham’s exchange with Wiles impersonator

President Donald Trump on Monday downplayed concerns that U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham exchanged messages with someone impersonating White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. Asked by reporters on Monday if he’s concerned about Burnham’s judgment or the state of communication between the two countries, Trump said, “No, I’m sure that he had a miscommunication.” “I spoke to him,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “We had a good conversation. A couple of them,” he added. Trump’s comments come after POLITICO reported that Burnham communicated with someone posing as Wiles before becoming suspicious of the illegitimate contact. Only “a few messages” were exchanged, according to one person who spoke to POLITICO and said they were “of no significance.” Concerned about national security, the British Embassy in Washington subsequently raised the issue to the White House, but a White House official said that the incident had “nothing to do with the Chief of Staff’s devices being hacked.” This wouldn’t be the first time the White House has addressed security concerns regarding the impersonation of Trump’s chief of staff. In May 2025, federal authorities launched an investigation into a separate effort to impersonate Wiles after senators, governors and top business leaders reported receiving messages from someone claiming to be Wiles, The Wall Street Journal reported. Trump also hinted to reporters on Monday that the U.K. leader could open up the North Sea — reiterating an idea the president has previously suggested could “make the U.K. rich.” “If you open up the North Sea, it’s one of the great finds anywhere in the world,” Trump said, adding “if they would open up the North Sea, the UK would be rich again.” Sam Blewett contributed to this report.