Quick summary
• Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde delivered a sermon at the National Prayer Service urging President Trump to govern with mercy, particularly toward LGBTQ people and immigrants.
• Budde highlighted fears within marginalized communities, stating that many are “scared now” under Trump’s administration.
• Trump criticized Budde, calling her a “so-called Bishop” and a “Radical Left hard line Trump hater” while demanding an apology from her and her church.
• Budde’s comments emphasized the plight of immigrant families and LGBTQ individuals, challenging Trump’s rhetoric and policies.
• The sermon sparked significant online reactions, with many supporting Budde’s bravery while Trump allies criticized her.
• Archbishop Timothy Broglio joined Budde in critiquing Trump’s early executive orders, calling several of them inconsistent with Christian values.
• Trump’s fiery response to Budde’s sermon underscores his contentious relationship with religious leaders who question his policies.
President Donald Trump faced widespread criticism this week after attacking Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, who used her sermon during the National Prayer Service to urge Trump to govern with mercy and compassion, particularly toward LGBTQ+ individuals and immigrant families. The service, traditionally aimed at fostering national unity following a presidential inauguration, took a controversial turn as Budde directly addressed Trump’s policies and rhetoric in front of the president, Vice President J.D. Vance, and other political leaders.
“In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now,” Budde said in her sermon, which quickly went viral. The bishop highlighted specific fears faced by vulnerable groups, noting, “There are gay, lesbian, and transgender people in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives.”
Budde also addressed Trump’s controversial immigration policies, emphasizing that they were built on misinformation. “The vast majority of immigrants are not criminals,” she said. “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.”
Video footage from the service showed Trump sitting stone-faced as Budde spoke. After the event, the president dismissed the sermon, telling reporters, “I didn’t think it was a good service,” adding that he was bored during the address.
Trump later escalated his response on Truth Social, deriding Budde as a “so-called Bishop” and a “Radical Left hard line Trump hater.” He accused her of bringing “her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way,” and dismissed her remarks as “nasty in tone” and “not compelling or smart.” Trump also falsely claimed that immigrants are coming to the United States and killing people in “large numbers,” despite longstanding data showing that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born citizens.
“She and her church owe the public an apology!” Trump wrote.
Despite Trump’s attacks, Budde has continued to stand by her sermon, which echoes core Christian teachings on mercy and compassion, particularly the “Sermon on the Mount” delivered by Jesus Christ. Her call for kindness and unity has drawn praise from many religious leaders, activists, and commentators.
Supporters of Budde’s remarks commended her courage in addressing Trump directly. “A very brave and honorable lady,” author Dean Allen wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “The look of disdain on their faces [Trump, Vance, and their families] tells you everything you need to know about their character.”
Activist and pastor John Pavlovitz expressed frustration with Christians who continue to support Trump despite his policies and behavior. “Christians who voted for him, you should be ashamed of yourselves,” Pavlovitz said. Meanwhile, Greg Sargent of The New Republic noted, “Trump exploded in fury at Bishop Marian Budde on Truth Social… There is nothing MAGA despises more than appeals to decency and humanity.”
While progressive voices lauded Budde’s bravery, Trump’s evangelical allies criticized her sermon. Robert Jeffress, pastor of Dallas’ First Baptist Church and a longtime Trump supporter, wrote that Budde “insulted rather than encouraged our great president,” and claimed there was “palpable disgust” among attendees at the service.
Trump’s response to Budde’s sermon reflects his broader, often contentious relationship with religion and religious leaders. Despite efforts to appeal to far-right Christian nationalists, Trump has repeatedly faced criticism for his inconsistent understanding of basic Christian principles. Notably, during his first presidential campaign, he was unable to name a favorite Bible passage, and his infamous 2020 Bible photo-op at St. John’s Episcopal Church drew sharp rebukes from church leaders, including Budde.
Tuesday’s service, which included representatives from various faith traditions, emphasized themes of compassion, unity, and care for marginalized communities. Notably absent from the program were conservative evangelicals, although several, including Jeffress, were in attendance. The texts and songs chosen for the service highlighted compassion and justice, including a reading from Deuteronomy 10:17-21, which speaks of caring for orphans, widows, and others in need.
Budde’s sermon aligns with these themes, but her remarks about marginalized groups and Trump’s policies appear to have struck a nerve with the president. Her message stands in stark contrast to Trump’s recent executive orders, which include rolling back transgender rights and toughening immigration policies.
While Trump dismissed Budde’s sermon as “boring,” many viewed her remarks as a necessary moral challenge to an administration whose policies have been criticized as harmful to vulnerable communities. Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, also criticized Trump’s actions, stating that some of his policies “are deeply troubling and will have negative consequences.”
Budde’s call for “mercy” and compassion reflects a growing divide between progressive and conservative religious communities. Her sermon has prompted renewed discussions about the role of faith leaders in holding political leaders accountable and advocating for the most marginalized.
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