Calamity Lammy strikes again! Former deputy PM accused of giving Andy Burnham phone number of fraudster pretending to be Trump aide

By XANTHA LEATHAM, EXECUTIVE SCIENCE EDITOR Published: 16:50, 23 August 2026 | Updated: 16:58, 23 August 2026 David Lammy gave the Prime Minister the phone number of a fraudster pretending to be Donald Trump’s chief-of-staff, it has emerged. Andy Burnham was duped by an unknown individual who posed as top White House aide Susie Wiles. He sent several messages in exchanges that began before he became PM and continued after he took office on July 20. The incident raised major security concerns and was subsequently reported to the White House. Now, it has surfaced that it was Mr Lammy who passed the number to Mr Burnham, believing it to be genuine. ‘David Lammy thought he was currying favour with the new PM by getting them the phone number of one of the most powerful people in Washington,’ a source told the Sun on Sunday. ‘But it turned out to be the wrong one. It is a serious embarrassment for David.’ Mr Lammy, the former deputy Prime Minister, was sacked from the Cabinet when Mr Burnham became PM. He has previously boasted of his close ties with the Trump administration, and made much of his friendship with Vice President JD Vance. It has surfaced that it was David Lammy who passed the fraudster's number to Mr Burnham, believing it to be genuine Andy Burnham insisted he's not embarrassed by falling victim to a hoaxer pretending to be Donald Trump's chief of staff Downing Street has said only a handful of messages were exchanged and they contained nothing significant. When asked about the blunder earlier this week, Mr Burnham insisted he wasn’t embarrassed by the gaffe. ‘No, I’m not, because there was a minimal exchange, nothing of consequence, and actually, quickly I realised that this needed to be reported, and I did so,’ he said. ‘I handled it in the right way. All politicians are receiving these pressures and these challenges, but I did everything right. 'There was a minimal exchange of information of zero consequence, and it was quickly reported.' Asked what action had been taken to find out who had impersonated Ms Wiles, Mr Burnham replied: 'The correct action has been taken here and in the US.' Although other PMs have been similarly fooled, Professor Anthony Glees, a security and intelligence expert from the University of Buckingham, said last week: ‘I think this is very serious. ‘This is no laughing matter. For one thing, Burnham exchanged messages with someone he thought was Trump's chief of staff over several days, before and after he became Prime Minister. The Prime Minister was duped by an unknown individual who posed as top White House aide Susie Wiles 'This is not two civil servants talking. This is a conversation as Burnham is taking the reins of power and you would expect Trump's chief of staff to discuss substantive issues.’ Last May, Ms Wiles' phone was hacked by an impersonator who used her personal phone contacts to message other top American officials, seemingly using AI to replicate her voice in calls with prominent Republicans. The key aide, who has been described by Mr Trump as the 'Ice Maiden', was also targeted by a cyber espionage unit associated with Iran's Revolutionary Guards in 2024. Both Mr Lammy’s team and No10 have declined to comment.