Someone Is Reportedly Impersonating Trump’s Chief of Staff in Texts to GOP Bigwigs and Business Titans

Federal officials are investigating an impersonation of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. Sources familiar with the matter have revealed that an unknown person has been contacting high-profile Republicans and business executives, pretending to be President Donald Trump's lieutenant.

The Impersonator's Targets

Recently, senators, governors, top U.S. business executives, and other well-known figures have received text messages and phone calls from the impersonator, claiming to be Wiles. However, it has become clear that these messages were not sent by Wiles herself, but rather by someone else.

The Investigation

FBI officials have told the White House that they do not believe a foreign nation is involved in the impersonation effort, according to sources familiar with the matter. The investigation is ongoing, and U.S. intelligence agencies are reportedly working together to determine who is behind the hack and subsequent impersonation.

The Nature of the Messages

Some of the messages sent by the impersonator seemed legitimate, but others betrayed red flags. For example, a text purporting to be from Wiles asked one legislator to compile a list of people for Trump to pardon. However, some lawmakers noticed that the requests were suspicious because the impersonator began asking questions about Trump that Wiles should have known the answers to.

The Impersonator's Mannerisms

Some of the people who received messages from the impersonator noted that the grammar was broken and the tone was more formal than Wiles typically communicates. Additionally, the calls and text messages did not come from Wiles's phone number, further raising suspicions.

The White House Response

"The White House takes the cybersecurity of all staff very seriously, and this matter continues to be investigated," a White House spokeswoman said. The spokeswoman also noted that Wiles reportedly told associates that her personal phone had been hacked, which led to the impersonation effort.

The Implications

While some have joked about the impersonator's apparent busyness, the implications of this impersonation are serious. It highlights the vulnerability of high-profile officials and executives to cyber threats and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures.

The Previous Hack Attempt

In August, Wiles' email was hacked, supposedly by Iranian agents. This incident has raised concerns about the potential motives behind the recent impersonation effort.