AI Voice Doppelgänger: Hackers Impersonate White House Chief of Staff After Phone Breach; Urgent Probe Underway
Washington D.C. – The White House is urgently investigating a sophisticated cyber intrusion after reports surfaced that the personal phone of Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was compromised. In an alarming development, hackers allegedly accessed Wiles’ contacts and then used this information to impersonate her, reportedly even employing Artificial Intelligence to mimic her voice in communications with other top officials.
Wiles herself is said to have informed contacts that her phone had been hacked. The breach was first reported by The Wall Street Journal, with CBS News later confirming the serious security incident.
According to the reports, the attackers didn’t just steal Wiles’ valuable contact list – which includes the phone numbers of high-ranking U.S. officials and influential figures – but took their deception a step further. The Wall Street Journal indicates that those who received calls impersonating Wiles heard an AI-generated version of her voice, while text messages were also sent from a phone number not belonging to the Chief of Staff.
While the White House has confirmed an active investigation, specifics remain under wraps. Spokesperson Anna Kelly, when questioned by TechCrunch, did not disclose whether authorities suspect a compromised cloud account linked to Wiles’ personal device or if the phone was targeted by a more advanced cyberattack, such as government-grade spyware.
In a statement, the White House emphasized its dedication to digital security: “We take the cybersecurity of all staff very seriously, and this matter continues to be investigated.”
This incident marks the second time Wiles has been a known target for hackers. Back in 2024, The Washington Post reported that Iranian hackers had attempted to compromise her personal email account. Citing sources, The Journal’s recent report added a concerning update: that earlier attempt was allegedly successful, with hackers managing to break into her email and obtain a dossier on JD Vance, who was then Vice President and Trump’s running mate.
This latest breach adds to a string of cybersecurity challenges that have reportedly beset the Trump administration in its recent months in office.
Notably, in March, former top national security adviser Michael Waltz inadvertently added a journalist to a sensitive Signal group chat. This group, which included Vance and Wiles, was reportedly discussing a planned military air-strike in Yemen.
Further complicating matters, it was later revealed that some government officials were utilizing TeleMessage, a Signal clone app designed for government message archiving. This platform itself was subsequently hacked on at least two occasions, exposing the private messages of its users.
The investigation into the breach of Wiles’ phone is ongoing as authorities work to determine the full scope of the attack and identify the perpetrators behind this audacious impersonation scheme.
