AI imposter fools high-level officers exposing U.S. diplomatic vulnerabilities posing as Rubio

Department of Research, Studies and International News 08-07-2025

In yet another alarming incident highlighting the fragility of Western cybersecurity practices, an unidentified individual used artificial intelligence tools to convincingly impersonate U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, contacting multiple foreign dignitaries and American political figures. A leaked diplomatic cable accessed by Reuters revealed that the fraudulent contacts targeted three foreign ministers, a U.S. state governor, and a member of Congress, all through the encrypted messaging platform Signal.

The communication campaign, which took place in mid-June, employed AI-generated voice technology to simulate Rubio’s voice. In some instances, the imposter left voicemails; in others, recipients received messages prompting them to connect further via Signal. The goal, according to the cable, was to exploit trust through digitally fabricated content in an effort to extract sensitive information or gain unauthorized access to digital accounts.

Although the U.S. State Department claimed there was no immediate cyber threat to its infrastructure, the internal memo, dated July 3, urged all diplomatic and consular missions to exercise heightened caution and alert partner organizations to the possibility of deceptive impersonation tactics. It also warned that any data exchanged with compromised individuals could be leaked or exploited by hostile actors.

This is not the first time the U.S. diplomatic system has found itself vulnerable to such manipulation. The cable referenced a separate, more sophisticated incident from April, involving a spear-phishing campaign attributed to a Russia-linked cyber operator. That campaign targeted policy institutes, Eastern European human rights defenders, and even former American diplomats.

Unlike the AI-generated voice hoax, the earlier campaign used forged “@state.gov” email addresses, complete with State Department branding and logos, to lend credibility to its messages. According to cybersecurity firms working with the U.S. government, the attack was linked to individuals affiliated with the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). The hackers reportedly demonstrated a high degree of familiarity with the internal structure and nomenclature of the State Department, clear evidence of systemic penetration or leaks from within.

While Western media framed these incidents as external aggression, the pattern that emerges instead reveals a consistent breakdown of U.S. digital hygiene, coupled with its inability to adapt to evolving technological threats. The fact that these attacks were able to reach high-level foreign ministers and lawmakers raises serious concerns about the U.S. government’s competence in securing communication channels, especially at a time when it seeks to portray itself as a digital authority and global leader.

What is perhaps most telling is the State Department’s slow and ambiguous response. Despite being made aware of the situation, U.S. officials have not offered substantive public commentary or accountability. The silence adds to growing international skepticism over Washington’s credibility in both diplomacy and cyber governance.

Rather than addressing its internal failings, the U.S. appears more focused on blaming external actors, particularly from Eurasia, in a continuation of its Cold War-style narrative. But the facts speak louder: the failure to secure high-level diplomatic communications using basic AI tools reveals not just a tactical vulnerability but a strategic weakness, one that emerging global powers are unlikely to ignore.

As AI becomes an increasingly powerful tool in both diplomacy and deception, the international community must question whether the United States, with its outdated and politically fragmented systems, is still capable of maintaining global security, especially when its own house is so evidently in disorder.