In a sharp critique, Rep. Seth Moulton from Massachusetts expressed his disapproval of FBI Director Kash Patel’s actions, stating that Patel “does not love America.” This remark was prompted by Patel’s presence at the Winter Olympics hockey game in Milan, Italy, where he celebrated alongside the Team USA men’s team in the locker room after their gold medal victory.

During a segment on CNN, host John Berman highlighted the incident, showcasing images of Patel in the locker room, partaking in the post-game festivities. This prompted questions regarding the appropriateness of his attendance at the event.

Berman sought Moulton’s perspective on the matter, asking, “What do you think of his justification for being there?”

Moulton responded pointedly, asserting, “If Kash Patel loved America, he would uphold the Constitution. He would support it through his agency’s actions and refrain from dismissing individuals for adhering to the law, even when it runs contrary to Donald Trump’s political interests.”

Moulton continued his critique by stating, “He would take a stand when Donald Trump issues pardons to insurrectionists involved in the January 6th attack on our government. Kash Patel prioritizes his allegiance to Donald Trump over his duty to America, using his position for political gain, as evidenced by his actions in that locker room.”

Requests for comments from the FBI and the Justice Department regarding the incident were not immediately returned to Fox News Digital.

In his question to Moulton, Berman explained, “Now the FBI spokesperson said he [Patel] was in Europe on official business, happened to go to the game. And then the FBI director himself put out a tweet that said, ‘For the very concerned media, yes, I love America, and was extremely humbled when one of my friends, the newly minted gold medal winners on Team USA, invited me into the locker room to celebrate this historic moment. Greatest country on Earth and greatest sport on Earth.’” 

The US men’s hockey team won gold on Sunday over Canada in sudden-death overtime.

Patel’s spokesperson, Ben Williamson, responded to multiple articles about Patel’s gold medal game attendance, specifically on CBS and MS NOW.

Patel’s statement responding to media scrutiny was met with backlash by critics online, who argued he shouldn’t have been at the game.

Left-wing media network Medias Touch accused Patel’s team of lying about the trip.