“Unknown actor” using AI to impersonate Rubio, State Department cable shows

An “unknown actor” created a Signal account and used artificial intelligence to contact government and foreign officials impersonating Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to a State Department cable obtained by CBS News.

The cable was sent to “All Diplomatic and Consular Posts,” and alerted them that the account was created in mid-June 2025 with the display name marco.rubio@state.gov.

“The individual contacted at least five non-Department individuals, including three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor, and a U.S. member of Congress,” the cable said. “The actor left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals, and in one instance, sent a text message inviting the individual to communicate on Signal.” 

In a statement, the State Department said it is “aware of this incident and is currently investigating this matter.” The Department said it “continuously takes steps to improve the department’s cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents.” 

The story was first reported by The Washington Post. 

This is a breaking story. It will be updated.