Episcopal bishop Mariann Edgar Budde is being celebrated as “fearless” and “bold” after pleading with Donald Trump to show Christian mercy to the immigrants he wants to ban from the nation and members of the LGBT+ community he aims to punish.
But in an unhinged rant on Truth Social, Trump wrote that Budde owes “the public” an apology.
“The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater,” Trump wrote on the platform. “She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart ... She and her church owe the public an apology!”
Trump’s attack followed harsh criticism of the bishop by allies of the president earlier in the day.
Liberal commentators on X (formerly Twitter) were outspoken in their support for Budde. “Today, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde boldly called out Donald Trump for his hatred and bigotry at the National Cathedral Prayer Service. Now, the GOP is attacking her for speaking truth to power,” wrote an account by the name of Protect Kamala Harris.
Pundit Art Candee tweeted a photo of Trump, first lady Melania Trump and vice-president JD Vance looking perturbed during the sermon, with the caption: “The looks you make when you’re called out by a Bishop in church at the National Prayer Service for essentially being fake Christians.”
Bishop Budde addressed the controversy in an appearance on CNN with Erin Burnett, saying she wanted to “[remind] us all that the people that are frightened in our country, the two groups of people that I mentioned, are our fellow human beings, and that they have been portrayed in all, throughout the political campaign, in the harshest of lights.”
She added: “I wanted to counter, as gently as I could, with a reminder of their humanity and their place in our wider community.”
She also explained her comments in an appearance on The View, saying: “I was trying to counter the narrative that is so divisive and polarising.”
Budde called on Trump to “have mercy” on the “scared” LGBT+ children and immigrant families across the country when the president and his family attended the National Prayer Service at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Hours earlier Trump had signed a slew of executive orders, many of which included hardline immigration policies — such as ending birthright citizenship. One order sought to deny the existence of transgender, nonbinary and intersex people throughout the government.
Budde said at the service, in remarks aimed at Trump: “There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families — some who fear for their lives.”
She added: “I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear 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.”
She also implored the president to reconsider the way he treats and talks about migrants living in the US. “They may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals,” she told the service.
Trump did not immediately respond with anger to Budde’s comments. During the service, he merely looked on awkwardly.
He later criticized the service, saying to a reporter: “Not too exciting, was it? I didn’t think it was a great service.”
Trump’s allies, however, were quick to criticize the bishop.
Senator Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama, condemned Budde’s speech in a Newsmax interview Tuesday.
“For this bishop to do this to President Trump after a weekend of, as you said, talking about God more than ever, talking about how he was spared to give an opportunity maybe to change this country back to something that it should be, it just absolutely amazes me how far these people go,” said Tuberville.
Representative Mike Collins, a Georgia Republican, inexplicably called for Budde to be deported: “The person giving this sermon should be added to the deportation list.”
Budde was born in New Jersey in 1959 and is a U.S. citizen — therefore, she cannot be deported.
Trump’s friend and informal faith adviser Robert Jeffress, who attended the service, also criticized Budde and claimed that the audience experienced “palpable disgust” at her words.
“Attended national prayer service today at the Washington National Cathedral during which Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde insulted rather than encouraged our great president @realDonaldTrump,” he wrote on X.
Trump was asked about the service as he left the event.
“Did you like it?” Trump asked, speaking to reporters. “Did you find it exciting? Not too exciting, was it?”
“I didn’t think it was a good service, no,” he continued. “They can do much better.”
