In a dramatic twist of internal affairs, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with President Trump’s endorsement, has dismissed Foreign Service Officer Daniel Choi after revelations emerged about his undisclosed relationship with a daughter of a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official.
This summer, the O’Keefe Media Group published an undercover video featuring Choi, who openly confessed to dating the daughter of a high-ranking CCP leader and admitted he never reported her to the authorities.
Choi, reflecting on his relationship with 27-year-old Joi Zao, stated, “I defied my government for love.” Zao entered the United States on a work visa in September 2024.
“Her father held either a provincial or federal ministerial role in education. So he’s, like, straight up Communist Party,” Choi further elaborated.
According to federal regulations, Foreign Service Officers are mandated to declare any close associations with foreign nationals from rival nations, particularly China. As reported by O’Keefe Media Group, Choi admitted, “I was supposed to report what I knew about her, but I always thought that was sort of unfair.”
WATCH:
“I Defied My Government for Love”: US State Department Foreign Service Officer Dated Senior CCP Leader’s Daughter, Admits “She Could Have Been A Spy,” Refused to Report Her
“Her dad was either a provincial or a federal minister of education. So he’s, like, straight up Communist… pic.twitter.com/7Pv1XcZ2x0
— James O’Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) August 6, 2025
The State Department had previously indicated that an investigation was underway following this revelation.
The U.S. State Department issued a statement to OMG concerning our investigation into CCP-affiliated influence and the alleged misconduct by a U.S. official.
A Senior State Department Official remarked, “The incident is under investigation. The Department maintains a zero-tolerance policy for…” pic.twitter.com/AQ1UtpuCaZ
— James O’Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) August 7, 2025
Ultimately, Daniel Choi has been terminated from his position.
BREAKING: Secretary of State Marco Rubio – with the approval of President Trump – FIRES Foreign Service Officer who Secretly Maintained a Relationship with a CCP Affiliate.
The State Department confirms this event marks an unprecedented termination of this nature within its history—a direct response to national security protocols being disregarded… https://t.co/MP59CraYxm pic.twitter.com/d6MplW1Bai
— James O’Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) October 8, 2025
