US President Donald Trump is calling for an apology from Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde after she delivered a sermon urging mercy for immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community during his inauguration prayer service.
In a Truth Social post later on Tuesday, Donald Trump labeled Budde a “so-called Bishop” and accused her of being a “Radical Left hard line Trump hater” who “owed the American public an apology.” Trump criticized Budde’s remarks as divisive and out of place at a sacred service, calling her tone “nasty” and the sermon “not too exciting.”
Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: “The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater. She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart. She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people. Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA. Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!”
Budde’s sermon, delivered at the Washington National Cathedral, focused on issues that have been contentious during Trump’s presidency. She passionately spoke out against the treatment of immigrants, particularly those in labor-intensive jobs, and advocated for the protection of LGBTQ+ children who might fear for their lives under Trump’s policies.
“There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives,” Budde said during the service.
Bishop pleads for mercy amid Trump’s immigration orders and gender remarks
Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde delivered a poignant message at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning (January 21), urging President Donald Trump to show mercy to vulnerable groups, including LGBTQ+ children and immigrants, in response to his recent actions on gender and immigration.
A day after his inauguration speech, where Trump declared that there are only two genders in America, and signed executive orders aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration, Bishop Budde called for compassion and protection for marginalized communities.
Budde appealed directly to Trump, saying, “There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives.” Her remarks highlighted concerns over the safety and well-being of LGBTQ+ children under Trump’s administration, echoing fears among those in the community that they might face increased discrimination and violence.
Budde also made an impassioned plea for the rights and humanity of immigrants. “The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meat-packing plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals, they … may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals,” she said.
She further urged Trump to show mercy to those fearing deportation and those fleeing war-torn countries. “I ask you to have mercy. Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away, and that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here. Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger.”
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