Trump responds to bishop’s confronting inaugural prayer sermon

The inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States was a spectacle that captured the attention of millions, not just in America but around the globe. Among the various events of that day, one moment stood out and garnered significant attention: the sermon delivered at the inaugural prayer service.

During a heartfelt prayer service at Washington’s National Cathedral, Bishop Mariann Budde, an Episcopal leader, stepped into the spotlight with a sermon that surprised many attendees. In her 15-minute message, she reached out directly to President Trump, making a poignant appeal for compassion and understanding.

“Let me make one final plea, Mr. President,” Bishop Budde said, her gaze seemingly directed at Trump. “Millions have put their trust in you. As you remarked yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. I implore you, in the name of our God, to show mercy to those in our country who are feeling scared right now.” Her words resonated especially with the LGBTQIA+ community, as she highlighted the fears faced by gay, lesbian, and transgender children from families across the political spectrum.

This sermon followed a day of significant executive orders issued by Trump—one of which addressed the biological differences between men and women, while others declared a national emergency at the southern border and aimed to reshape the nation’s immigration policies, including an attempt to eliminate birthright citizenship.

Bishop Budde didn’t shy away from addressing these contentious issues in her sermon. She emphasized the importance of the many immigrants contributing to society. “The people who pick our crops, clean our offices, and work in our restaurants may not have proper documentation, but they are not criminals. The majority of immigrants are hardworking people who pay taxes and strive to be good neighbors,” she remarked.

Budde has been outspoken against Trump in the past, notably when he posed outside St. John’s Episcopal Church holding a Bible in 2020, an event that sparked outrage after law enforcement forcibly cleared protesters advocating for racial justice. At that time, she expressed her frustration, saying, “Everything he has said and done is to inflame violence… We need moral leadership, and he’s done everything to divide us.”

As she concluded her sermon, Budde made a heartfelt request to the President: “Please have mercy on those in our communities whose children fear they will be separated from their parents. Help those fleeing from war zones and persecution find compassion and solace here. Our faith teaches us to be merciful to strangers, for we were all once strangers in this land.”

When Trump was later asked about the sermon, he dismissed it, stating he “didn’t think it was a good service.”

What are your thoughts on Bishop Mariann Budde’s impactful sermon during Trump’s inaugural prayer service?