'FIRED' - Secretary of State Marco Rubio Bombshell Rocks Nation's Capital - Marco Rubio Announces He Has Fired Officer Over Hidde...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — May 2, 2026
The U.S. State Department has terminated a foreign service officer identified as Daniel Choi after an undercover investigation revealed he maintained a romantic relationship with the daughter of a Chinese Communist Party affiliate that he failed to disclose to security officials.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered the internal review, and the termination was approved by President Donald Trump. The decision is the first under Executive Order 14211, signed by President Trump to strengthen accountability within the diplomatic corps.
In footage released by O’Keefe Media Group, Choi acknowledged that his girlfriend’s father was “straight-up Communist Party” and that she “could have been a spy.” He stated, “I defied my government for love.”
Foreign service officers are required to report any close and continuing contact with foreign nationals who may have ties to hostile governments. Choi did not report the relationship, according to the department.
The State Department confirmed the dismissal, stating the officer admitted to concealing the relationship, representing a potential security vulnerability.
Secretary 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.
Counterintelligence experts have long warned that Beijing uses romantic entanglements, financial incentives, and academic ties to collect sensitive information from U.S. personnel. “Romantic and social connections remain one of the most exploited vectors in Chinese espionage,” said a former senior intelligence official familiar with State Department security procedures.
The State Department declined to detail the internal investigation but confirmed that Choi’s failure to report the relationship violated long-standing security protocols.
Foreign service officers are required to immediately disclose any “close and continuing contact” with foreign nationals who may have ties to hostile governments.
Choi reportedly told the undercover journalist that his girlfriend’s father was either a provincial or federal education minister within the CCP structure, adding, “She could have been a spy — I don’t even know.”
After the video’s release, Secretary Rubio moved quickly to recommend termination, citing national security concerns and the need to enforce accountability across diplomatic ranks.
“This is a clear case of misconduct and potential compromise,” a State Department official said on background. “Every officer takes an oath to serve the United States and to uphold our security standards. No one is above that.”
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The case underscores growing concerns within the U.S. government over Chinese intelligence-gathering through personal and professional relationships with American officials.
The development comes as the administration continues to focus on countering Chinese influence in U.S. institutions.
