The Florida senator-turned-Secretary of State brings sharp intellect, extensive foreign policy experience, and unwavering loyalty to the America First agenda.
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A U.S. State Department foreign service officer has been fired after being caught on hidden camera admitting to a secret romantic relationship with the daughter of a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) affiliateâa connection he failed to disclose to U.S. security officials, according to statements.
The officer, identified as Daniel Choi, was terminated following an internal review ordered by Rubio.
The decision came after footage surfaced from an OâKeefe Media Group (OMG) undercover investigation in which Choi acknowledged that his girlfriendâs father was âstraight-up Communist Partyâ and that she âcould have been a spy.â
âI defied my government for love,â Choi said in the secretly recorded video published by OMG, in which he discussed knowingly concealing the relationship from State Department officials despite being required to report any close personal contact with foreign nationals.
A State Department spokesperson told reporters that, to their knowledge, this is the first time an officer has been terminated under the authority granted by Executive Order 14211, which President Trump signed earlier this year to strengthen accountability within the diplomatic corps.
The order states that âall officers or employees charged with implementing the foreign policy of the United States must, under Article II, do so under the direction and authority of the President,â adding that âfailure to faithfully implement the Presidentâs policy is grounds for professional discipline, including separation.â
In a statement announcing the dismissal, the department said: âThe Foreign Service Officer admitted to concealing a romantic relationship with a Chinese national, whom he said on camera âcould have been a spy.â He also said that her father was âstraight-up Communist Party.â The officer was required to report this contact to Department security officials, but said, âI defied my government for love.â Accordingly, the Secretary recommended that the officer be separated for failing to faithfully implement the Presidentâs foreign policy.â
Choiâs case underscores growing concerns within the U.S. government over Chinese intelligence-gathering through personal and professional relationships with American officials.
For years, counterintelligence experts have warned that Beijing uses romantic entanglements, financial incentives, and academic ties to collect sensitive information from U.S. personnel.
âRomantic and social connections remain one of the most exploited vectors in Chinese espionage,â said a former senior intelligence official familiar with State Department security procedures. âAn unreported relationship like this represents a massive vulnerability, no matter how innocent it may appear.â
While the State Department declined to detail the internal investigation, officials confirmed that Choiâs failure to report the relationship violated long-standing security protocols designed to protect against coercion or compromise by foreign entities.
Foreign service officers are required to immediately disclose any âclose and continuing contactâ with foreign nationals who may have ties to hostile governments.
Choi reportedly told the undercover journalist that his girlfriendâs father was either a provincial or federal education minister within the CCP structure, adding, âShe could have been a spy â I donât even know.â
After the videoâs release, Secretary Rubio moved quickly to recommend termination, citing national security concerns and the need to enforce accountability across diplomatic ranks.
Rubio has taken a hard line on countering Chinese influence within U.S. institutions since becoming Secretary of State, tightening vetting procedures for foreign contacts and expanding background checks for personnel stationed in East Asia and Washington-based policy roles.
