A U.S. diplomat was dismissed by the State Department after acknowledging he had concealed a romantic relationship with a Chinese national who reportedly had ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).  According to a secretly recorded video made public by media outlets, the diplomat admitted the relationship and said he had failed to file the required report disclosing contact with a foreign national from an adversarial country. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott stated that after review by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Trump, the diplomat was removed from service for violating national security rules.

This dismissal is reportedly the first enforcement under a policy introduced in late 2024 that bars U.S. government personnel from clandestine romantic or sexual relationships with Chinese citizens in certain circumstances, particularly when security clearances are involved. The policy seeks to reduce potential vulnerabilities to espionage or undue influence. In the statement, the State Department emphasized its “zero tolerance” stance for employees whose personal conduct undermines national security.

While the video’s contents and the termination have stirred public attention, official sources have not publicly confirmed all personal details of the relationship. Some media outlets identified the diplomat as Daniel Choi, citing the video and related reporting, but this identification has not been uniformly confirmed by the State Department. The case underscores the delicate balance between personal privacy, professional obligations, and national security in diplomatic service.