Marco Rubio reveals more details of AI impersonation scam

Daily Mail​

10-07-2025

Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed new information about a stunning security breach where a perpetrator used AI technology to impersonate him while contacting foreign ministers and top political officials. The breach was first brought to light a fter a diplomatic cable warning of the serious blunder was reported on Tuesday, and U.S. officials are still hunting for the culprit. The imposter 'contacted at least five non-Department individuals, including three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor, and a U.S. member of Congress,' according to the July 3 cable. 'The actor likely aimed to manipulate targeted individuals using AI-generated text and voice messages, with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts,' according to the cable.
And it seems that it the scam may have started earlier than previously known, as Rubio said he was also impersonated when he first took the State Department position. He revealed Thursday that he found out about the scam after a current senator who had gotten a fake message purporting to be from him called back. The episode prompted the secretary to alert the FBI . Rubio defended his own communications practices by saying it 'could happen to anybody.' 'It could happen to anybody – everybody – especially if you're a public figure,' Rubio told reporters while attending a meeting with foreign ministers in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia.
'They just got to get enough – like they could take the interview out of here today and change it around,' he said. 'As soon as I found out about it last week, I referred it to the FBI, [State Department] Diplomatic Security and others. It won't be the last time you see me or others, for that matter. Maybe some of you will be impersonated, but it's just a reality of this AI technology that's going on, and it's a real threat. As Rubio explained it, 'somebody called me – a senator that called me and said, "Hey, did you just try to reach me?"' The senator then sent Rubio a voicemail recording of his own AI generated voice. He wasn't impressed. "It doesn't sound, doesn't really sound like me. If you fell for that call ...' he said, dissing the impersonation.
He brushed off questions about use of less secure messaging apps like Signal – the source of a massive scandal that led to the ouster of Trump's previous national security advisor Mike Waltz. 'It doesn't matter what form you use a Signal or anything else,' said Rubio. 'I've had people in the past ask me if I texted – like, within days of becoming Secretary of State, I had foreign ministers calling the State Department asking if I had just texted them. So I don't know, guys, this is just the reality of the 21st Century with AI and fake stuff that's going on. Generally I communicate with my counterparts around the world to official channels for a reason, and that's to avoid this,' he said.
Rubio didn't say outright whether those early calls from foreign ministers were the result of fake texts. The Daily Mail has contacted the State Department for clarification. Rubio also speculated on a potential motive. 'My sense is the target really isn't me. The target is the people they're reaching out to, to try to trick them into a call or whatever. And who knows what they do with it?' he said. Rubio's view on the security of his practices wasn't entirely shared by former Biden national security spokesman Sean Savett.
He said it 'definitely could happen to anyone anytime, but the prevalent use of Signal and non-official means of communication likely make it easier for bad actors to spoof government officials because people are more willing to assume a communication not from [U.S. Government] accounts could be legitimate.' 'Simply put,' he told the Daily Mail, 'the more they use Signal, the more susceptible they'll be to scammers or malicious actors impersonating them on Signal.' U.S. officials are hunting for the culprit, and assess that it is part of a plan to mop up information, the Washington Post reported this week.
In the Rubio scam, someone purporting to be the secretary of state who also serves as Trump's national security advisor dialed three foreign secretaries, as well as a governor and a U.S. member of Congress 'with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts,' according to a cable obtained by the Post. The imposter 'contacted at least five non-Department individuals, including three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor, and a U.S. member of Congress,' according to the July 3 cable, in a scam that began in mid-June. Rubio's comments on the security beach came after he held 'frank' talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov after President Trump has publicly shared increased frustration with Russia over its attacks on Ukraine.
'It was a frank conversation. It was an important one,' Rubio told reporters. He said U.S. and Russian negotiators have exchanged new ideas – while stopping short of declaring anything approaching a breakthrough. 'I think it´s a new and a different approach,' Rubio said. 'I wouldn't characterize it as something that guarantees a peace, but it´s a concept that, you know, that I´ll take back to the president.' Trump has issued a series of comments expressing concern about Russia's trajectory, saying he was 'disappointed' following his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin which came hours before Russia unleashed a massive drone attack on July 4.
On July 8, Trump vented about Putin in uncharacteristic terms. He usually stresses how well they get along. 'We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin, [if] you want to know the truth,' Trump groused. 'He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.' Trump also said hew was 'very strongly' considering sanctions that would hit Russia by targeting countries that continue to purchase its oil. 'We'll have more to say about that later this week,' he said. The countries include China, India, and Brazil, as well as some European countries, and could finally allow a crackdown on Russia's efforts to get around other sanctions imposed after its 2014 annexation of Crimea and subsequent invasion of Ukraine.
That comes after Russia was conspicously absent from the list of nations Trump is hitting with new 'reciprocal' tariffs in a series of letters rolled out this week. They went to key allies including Japan and South Korea. During a meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu Monday, Trump announced a shock U-turn on providing weapons to Ukraine , which had been mysteriously paused. 'We're going to send some more weapons. We have to. They have to be able to defend themselves,' said Trump.