A Marco Rubio impostor is using AI voice to call high-level officials

The unknown individual contacted at least five government officials, including three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor and a member of Congress, according to a State Department cable.

Updated

July 8, 2025 at 6:49 a.m. EDTJuly 8, 2025

4 min

Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on before administering the oath of office to David Purdue as ambassador to China at The White House on May 7, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

By John Hudson

and

Hannah Natanson

An impostor pretending to be Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted foreign ministers, a U.S. governor and a member of Congress by sending them voice and text messages that mimic Rubio’s voice and writing style using artificial intelligence-powered software, according to a senior U.S. official and a State Department cable obtained by The Washington Post.

What readers are saying

The comments reflect a mix of humor and criticism regarding the use of AI technology to impersonate government officials, particularly focusing on Marco Rubio. Many commenters express skepticism about Rubio's authenticity and competence, suggesting that an AI impersonator might... Show more

This summary is AI-generated. AI can make mistakes and this summary is not a replacement for reading the comments.

By John Hudson

John Hudson is a reporter at The Washington Post covering the State Department and national security. He was part of the team that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for coverage of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He has reported from dozens of countries, including Ukraine, China, Afghanistan, India and Belarus.@John_Hudson

By Hannah Natanson

Hannah Natanson is a Washington Post reporter covering Trump's reshaping of the government and its effects. Reach her securely on Signal at 202-580-5477.hannah_natanson

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