US Bishop Praised for Speaking Truth to Power to Trump (Watch)

Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde is being praised for her courage in directly addressing President Trump’s Christian hypocrisy and heartless policies while he awkwardly sat in attendance.

Speaking at the traditional inaugural service at the Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday, which was attended by the newly inaugurated president and Vice President JD Vance, Budde surprised many by breaking away from the usual platitudes of the occasion.

Instead, she boldly highlighted the devastating impact of Trump’s policies on millions of migrants and LGBTQ+ people.

“The impact of politics goes beyond simply who wins and loses at the ballot box,” she remarked, adding that for some, it represents “a loss of equality and dignity and their livelihoods.”

A Direct Plea for Mercy

Budde, who serves as the Bishop of Washington, calmly addressed Trump directly, appealing to his humanity: “In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families — some who fear for their lives.”

Trump and Vance appeared visibly unhappy as Budde continued, shining a light on the contributions of immigrants often vilified by Trump’s rhetoric.

“And the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labour 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 stated.

“They pay taxes and are good neighbours. They are faithful members of our churches, mosques and synagogues, gurdwaras and temples. I ask you to have mercy, Mr President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away.”

Trump’s Reaction and Public Support for Budde

Trump later took to his Truth Social platform to attack Bishop Budde, labelling her a “radical Left hard-line Trump hater.” He added, “She brought her church into the world of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone and not compelling or smart.”

In contrast, openly gay British-Nigerian pastor, Reverend Jide Macaulay, commended Budde’s remarks. He asserted on X that she spoke “to the very core of Christian faith and culture.”

“Her words serve as a necessary reminder that Christian leadership, whether in politics or elsewhere, demands accountability to the core principles of the faith. It is essential that leaders who claim to follow Christ demonstrate integrity, uphold justice, and lead with humility, reflecting the true essence of the gospel in both words and deeds,” said Macaulay.

Speaking to CNN, Budde said that she intended to remind President Trump and all those listening “”the two groups of people that I mentioned are our fellow human beings, and that they have been portrayed throughout the political campaign in the harshest of lights. I wanted to counter [that] as gently as I could with a reminder of their humanity and their and their place in our wider community.”