Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) declared FBI Director Kash Patel "does not love America" when asked about Patel's appearance in the Team USA men's ice hockey locker room after their gold medal victory at the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
In a CNN segment on Monday, host John Berman questioned Patel's presence at the final match and the subsequent celebration. Previously, an FBI spokesperson stated that Patel was in Europe on official business and "incidentally" attended the game.
In response, Moulton said: "If Kash Patel loved America, he would defend the Constitution." He accused Patel of being overly loyal to President Trump and of not speaking out about the pardon decisions related to the January 6th incident.
Response from Patel
Patel posted on social media that he "loves America" and felt honored to be invited by a friend on the team into the locker room to celebrate a "historic moment." He called America "the greatest country" and ice hockey "the greatest sport."
The US men's ice hockey team won the gold medal after defeating Canada in a decisive overtime period.
Moulton's remarks quickly sparked debate on social media. Some criticized the FBI Director's participation in a sporting event amidst a tense political climate, while others argued that his presence did not violate any regulations.
The FBI and the Department of Justice have not provided additional official comments on the matter.
