FBI investigates effort to impersonate White House chief of staff Susie Wiles: report

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WASHINGTON - Federal officials are investigating a troubling attempt to impersonate White House chief of staff Susie Wiles using her personal cellphone contacts, according to a report published Thursday by the Wall Street Journal.

The impersonation effort reportedly involved text messages and calls sent to high-profile individuals—including U.S. senators, governors, and major business leaders—by someone claiming to be Wiles. The Journal cited sources familiar with the matter who said the messages came from someone exploiting her hacked contacts.

How was the impersonation attempt carried out?

The backstory:

The attempt targeted Wiles’ personal phone, not her government-issued device, the Wall Street Journal reported. Wiles is a close adviser to President Donald Trump and a central figure in his current administration, making any compromise of her communications particularly sensitive.

Sources told the Journal that Wiles informed associates her contact list had been breached, enabling the impersonator to reach powerful individuals while posing as her.

U.S. President Donald Trump, accompanied by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles (R), speaks during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office of the White House on February 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

So far, the White House has not commented publicly on the investigation

What they're saying:

FBI Director Kash Patel acknowledged the situation in a statement released Friday.

"The FBI takes all threats against the president, his staff, and our cybersecurity with the utmost seriousness," Patel said. "Safeguarding our administration officials’ ability to securely communicate to accomplish the president’s mission is a top priority."

What does this mean for White House cybersecurity?

Big picture view:

The White House has faced several recent cybersecurity breaches. Earlier this month, a hacker accessed communications from officials using the same platform as former national security adviser Mike Waltz, according to Reuters. In late 2024, U.S. intelligence assessed that Chinese cyber actors had intercepted calls involving senior American political figures.

Wiles herself was previously targeted during Trump’s 2024 campaign. U.S. authorities linked that earlier attack to Iranian actors, who allegedly obtained and shared private messages involving Wiles with journalists and political operatives.

Given her key role in the Trump administration, Wiles’ communications are likely a high-value target for foreign intelligence agencies and hostile actors.