The State Department fired a Foreign Service officer who admitted to having a romantic relationship with a woman connected to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
A Department spokesperson confirmed the removal of Foreign Service Officer Daniel Choi, stating that “after Presidential review and approval, the Secretary of State has terminated a Foreign Service Officer (FSO) who concealed a romantic relationship with a Chinese national with ties to the Chinese Communist Party.”
The development follows an August investigation by the O’Keefe Media Group, which released an undercover video of Choi admitting that he “defied my government for love” and had a relationship with the daughter of a senior CCP leader.
“I was supposed to, whatever, sort of report what I knew about her, but I always thought that was kind of unfair,” he said. “We might date, and then we break up, you know, and then, like, you know, the government still has her information forever, right?”
Choi admitted that the woman’s “dad was either a provincial or a federal minister of education,” noting that “he’s, like, straight up Communist Party.”
Following the video, the State Department said, “The incident is under investigation. The Department has zero tolerance for individuals who jeopardize national security by putting their personal interests ahead of our great nation.”
According to a February action from President Donald Trump, “All 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. Failure to faithfully implement the president’s policy is grounds for professional discipline, including separation.”
