05/25/2026
A U.S. State Department foreign service officer has reportedly been fired after allegedly hiding a romantic relationship with the daughter of a man connected to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), according to statements from government officials and undercover footage released by O’Keefe Media Group.
The incident gained national attention after hidden-camera video appeared to show the officer, identified as Choi, admitting that he intentionally failed to report the relationship to security officials. In the footage, Choi allegedly stated that his girlfriend’s father was “straight-up Communist Party” and acknowledged that she “could have been a spy.”
He also reportedly said, “I defied my government for love,” while explaining that he knowingly ignored diplomatic security rules requiring foreign service officers to disclose close relationships with foreign nationals.
The U.S. Department of State confirmed that the officer was dismissed after officials reviewed the matter. A department spokesperson said the case may represent the first termination carried out under Executive Order 14211, signed earlier this year by Donald Trump. The order strengthens presidential authority over foreign service personnel and emphasizes accountability in national security matters.
Officials stated that disclosure requirements are designed to protect government employees from espionage, coercion, and foreign influence operations. Counterintelligence experts have long warned that foreign governments may attempt to exploit personal relationships to gather sensitive information from American officials.
According to reports, Choi claimed his girlfriend’s father held a senior position within China’s education system connected to the CCP. After the footage became public, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly supported immediate termination, citing serious national security concerns and the need for strict enforcement of diplomatic security rules.