Trump demands apology from Episcopalian bishop over "ungracious" and "nasty" sermon – SHE REFUSES
By arseniotoledo // 2025-01-24
Copy
 
  • President Donald Trump criticized Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde after her sermon at the Washington National Cathedral, where she urged him to show mercy to marginalized groups, including LGBTQ+ individuals and immigrant families.
  • Budde claimed that most immigrants are law-abiding contributors to society and expressed concern for those fearing deportation or persecution under Trump’s policies.
  • Trump accused Budde of being a "Radical Left hard-line Trump hater" and demanded an apology, claiming her remarks were politically charged and ungracious.
  • Budde refused to apologize, stating she stood by her call for mercy and denied being part of the "radical left," while expressing regret over the divisive response.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday, Jan. 22, lashed out at Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of Washington for the Episcopal Church of the United States. On Tuesday, Jan. 21, the day after Trump's second inauguration, the president attended an interfaith service at the Washington National Cathedral, the seat of the Episcopal Church's leader as well as the Diocese of Washington. Budde used her 15-minute sermon during the service to call on Trump to "have mercy" on people in the U.S. "who are scared." She highlighted her concern for LGBTQ+ children, immigrant families and undocumented migrant workers. She emphasized how she believes the vast majority of migrants in the U.S. are not criminals but rather "faithful members" of U.S. religious communities and who pay taxes and contribute to society. "I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared," Budde said during her sermon. "There are gay, lesbian, transgender children, Democratic, Republican, independent families – some who fear for their lives." She also called on Trump to aid those fleeing war and persecution, noting that immigrant children “fear their parents are going to be taken away." Trump sat at the front row during the service, alongside other prominent figures including Vice President J.D. Vance. The president, who returned to the White House after the service and told reporters it "wasn't too exciting," later took to Truth Social to criticize Budde's remarks. "The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard-line Trump hater," he wrote. "She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart." The president also accused Budde of ignoring crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, claiming, "It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA." He concluded by demanding an apology, writing, "She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!"

Bishop Budde refuses to apologize

Budde, however, stood by her remarks in multiple interviews and refuses to apologize. "I am not going to apologize for asking for mercy for others," she said in an interview with Time Magazine. "I don't hate President Trump. I strive not to hate anyone, and I dare say that I am not of the 'radical left' either, whatever that means. That is not who I am." Speaking to NPR, Budde expressed regret over the backlash but defended her decision to address Trump directly. "I regret that it was something that has caused the kind of response that it has, in the sense that it actually confirmed the very thing that I was speaking of earlier, which is our tendency to jump to outrage and not speak to one another with respect," she said. "But no, I won't apologize for what I said." The bishop's remarks came just a day after Trump signed a series of executive orders targeting immigrants and transgender individuals, fulfilling campaign promises that have sparked widespread controversy. (Related: Trump signed nearly 100 executive orders on Day 1 of his second term.) Among the orders were measures to restrict immigration, reinstate the "Remain in Mexico" policy for asylum-seekers and end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. Trump also signed an order recognizing only two sexes – male and female – effectively rejecting transgender identity. Budde told NPR that these policies have stoked fear among vulnerable communities. "The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings; who labor in poultry farms and meatpacking 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. Watch this clip from NBC discussing what Trump's new immigration policies mean for the millions of migrants in the United States. This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Federal bureaucrats planning to RESIST Trump's agenda, poll reveals. ICE raids underway as Trump administration launches historic DEPORTATION operation. Self-deport or face 20-year exile: Trump's border czar's tough new immigration strategy. House passes bill targeting DEPORTATION of illegal immigrants convicted of violent crimes against women and children. Vatican now approves openly gay men to seek ordination as priests in Italy. Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com TheHill.com 1 TheHill.com 2 NPR.org Brighteon.com
Copy