Rubio Fires State Department Official Over Hidden Relationship With Daughter of CCP Official
A U.S. State Department foreign service officer has been fired after allegedly concealing a romantic relationship with the daughter of a Chinese Communist Party official, according to the State Department.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved the dismissal after undercover video released by O’Keefe Media Group allegedly showed the officer discussing the undisclosed relationship and acknowledging that it could have posed a national security risk.
The officer, identified as Daniel Choi, was terminated following an internal review ordered by Rubio.
According to the undercover recording, Choi said his girlfriend’s father was “straight-up Communist Party” and acknowledged she “could have been a spy.”
“I defied my government for love,” Choi said in the secretly recorded video, according to the State Department.
Federal security rules require foreign service officers to report close and continuing relationships with foreign nationals who may have ties to foreign governments.
According to the State Department, Choi failed to disclose the relationship to department security officials despite that requirement.
In announcing the dismissal, the department said Choi admitted on camera that he concealed the relationship and failed to comply with reporting requirements.
“The Foreign Service Officer admitted to concealing a romantic relationship with a Chinese national, whom he said on camera ‘could have been a spy,’” the department said in a statement.
The statement added that Choi acknowledged his girlfriend’s father was “straight-up Communist Party” and that he failed to report the contact to security officials.
The State Department said Rubio recommended Choi’s separation for failing to faithfully implement the president’s foreign policy.
Department officials told reporters they believe this is the first termination carried out under Executive Order 14211, which President Donald Trump signed earlier this year to strengthen accountability within the Foreign Service.
The order states that officers responsible for carrying out U.S. foreign policy must do so under the direction of the president and that failure to faithfully implement those policies may result in disciplinary action, including termination, per the Conservative Brief.
According to the report, Choi also told the undercover journalist that his girlfriend’s father served as either a provincial or national education official within the Chinese Communist Party.
The State Department did not release additional details about its internal investigation but confirmed the officer’s failure to report the relationship violated long-standing security protocols.
Foreign service personnel are required to disclose relationships or ongoing contact with foreign nationals who could present security concerns or create vulnerabilities for blackmail, coercion or foreign influence.
The case comes as the State Department continues to emphasize counterintelligence efforts involving China.
According to the report, Rubio has expanded background screening procedures and strengthened oversight of foreign contacts involving diplomatic personnel, particularly those serving in East Asia and other sensitive assignments.
The State Department said the dismissal reflects its commitment to enforcing security requirements and protecting U.S. national security against potential foreign influence or espionage risks.
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