A fiery exchange has erupted following the National Cathedral prayer service on Tuesday, where Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde directly appealed to President Donald Trump to have compassion for immigrants and LGBTQ+ members. Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde (l) calls for LGBTQ+ mercy, Donald Trump labels her a radical left Trump hater. In a sermon delivered during the prayer service, Budde, the first woman to lead the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, urged Trump to show mercy to marginalised groups, including gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families. Why did Bishop Budde call for LGBTQ mercy? She expressed concern for those who feel threatened and fearful in the current political climate.
“There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in families who fear for their lives. Our God teaches us to be merciful to the stranger, for we were once strangers in this land,” Budde declared. Budde also highlighted immigrants’ contributions to American society, noting: “The vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbours. They are faithful members of our churches, mosques, synagogues, gurdwaras, and temples.” How Donald Trump responded to Bishop Budde In response to Budde’s remarks, Trump issued a lengthy statement early Wednesday, directly attacking the bishop. He called her a radical Left hard line Trump hater, accusing her of politicising the church in an “ungracious” manner. “She brought her church into the world of politics in a very ungracious way,” Trump wrote.
He also criticised her tone during the service as nasty, adding that the event was boring and uninspiring. Trump further demanded an apology from Budde and her church, writing: “Budde and her church owe the public an apology!” Following the service, Trump told The Hill that the sermon wasn’t too exciting and suggested that they could do much better. In a CNN interview, Bishop Budde explained that her sermon aimed to remind Trump and others of the humanity of individuals often negatively depicted in his political rhetoric. Budde, who has led the diocese since 2011, said she sought to “gently counter” such portrayals by emphasising their humanity and value within the community. “I was addressing the president directly because he’s at a moment where he feels empowered to act on his convictions. I wanted to emphasize there is room for mercy and broader compassion. We don’t need to generalize or harshly depict some of society’s most vulnerable individuals, who are, in fact, our neighbours, friends, and children,” she said.
by Brian Ajon
