Someone impersonated Secretary of State Marco Rubio using an AI-generated voice and text messages to contact high-level officials. The impersonator reached out to at least three foreign ministers, one sitting governor, and a member of Congress. The outreach was conducted through Signal, a secure messaging app widely used in diplomatic circles. The campaign began in mid-June and triggered a formal warning from Rubio’s office on July 3. The messages mimicked Rubio’s tone and writing style with enough precision to raise no immediate suspicion.
The fake account used the handle Marco.Rubio@state.gov, which is not a valid government address. Voice messages and chat invitations were sent to officials across multiple jurisdictions. The State Department confirmed the incident and launched a full investigation. No breach has been publicly confirmed, but the intent was clear. The impersonator was attempting to gain access to sensitive information or accounts. The FBI has also issued a broader warning about AI-generated scams targeting senior officials. These tactics are part of a growing wave of digital deception using synthetic audio and text to bypass traditional verification.
This is not the first time a senior official has been impersonated using AI. President Trump previously stated that someone posed as Chief of Staff Susie Wiles in an attempt to breach her phone. The Rubio incident is more sophisticated. The voice replication was convincing. The writing matched known patterns. The targets were high-value. The impersonator knew what they were doing.
The Signal platform has come under scrutiny before. Former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz was removed from his post after a reporter was accidentally invited into a Signal group discussing classified operations. Waltz now serves as ambassador to the United Nations. Rubio was appointed interim National Security Advisor shortly after.
The State Department has not disclosed whether any officials responded to the messages or shared information. The cable from Rubio’s office urged increased vigilance and warned that other officials may also be impersonated. The FBI’s public service announcement emphasized the risk of smishing and vishing attacks using AI. These methods involve sending fake texts and voice messages to build trust before extracting data or credentials.
Sources:
https://www.arise.tv/impostor-uses-ai-to-mimic-marco-rubio-in-bid-to-deceive-us-officials/
https://www.newsweek.com/fbi-warns-ai-scam-impersonating-top-us-officials-2073122
https://politicalwire.com/2025/07/08/marco-rubio-imposter-uses-ai-voice-to-call-officials/
