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The woke DC bishop who drew Donald Trump's ire after pleading with him to show some "mercy" toward LGBTQ+ people and illegal migrants has a long history of opposing the president. The Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde has been critical of Trump since his first term, denouncing his "divisive" rhetoric and "immoral" leadership. Budde reignited the feud by using a service at the National Cathedral in Washington to call on Trump to show "mercy" to LGBTQ+ people and illegal migrants.
Her plea was ignored, as the president didn't waste much time and took to Truth Social, demanding a public apology from her and labeling her as "nasty" and "not smart." Always a Trump Hater However, resurfaced videos and articles highlight the long-standing tensions between Budde and Trump. Footage from 2020 shows Budde saying she was outraged over Trump's photo op outside the historic St.
John's Church, located near the White House. The incident occurred after police had forcibly removed Black Lives Matter protesters who were demonstrating in response to George Floyd's murder. In the video, Budde slammed Trump for what she described as exploiting a Bible and a church within her diocese as a backdrop for a message she deemed completely contrary to the teachings of Jesus and the core values of her church.
"He took the symbols sacred to our tradition and stood in front of a house of prayer in full expectation that would be a celebratory moment," Budde fumed. She later told The Washington Post that Trump's actions and words were designed to "inflame violence" and accused him of fostering divisive and immoral leadership. Budde later admitted that she had "given up" trying to communicate with Trump and advocated for his replacement.
After the 2024 election, Budde issued a statement to her Washington diocese, addressing the "divisive political rhetoric" during the campaign season. She described Trump's win as a "dramatic shift in power," which left many in her congregation feeling "worrisome and even frightening." Open Criticism Budde wrote in November 2024: "I'm grateful for the consistent message of those prayers: that regardless of political affiliation and strongly-held views, we are united in our commitment to follow Jesus in the way of love.
"Such love calls us to seek and serve Christ in all persons and uphold the dignity of every human being—a tall order at any time, but all the more so throughout a season of heated, divisive political rhetoric. "Now the political realignment begins, in a dramatic shift of power. For some, this is very good news; for others, it is worrisome and even frightening.
" She added, "'Without question, it will personally impact many in our congregations and surrounding communities, across the country and the world. "In times of dramatic change—no matter how we feel about it—we are vulnerable to our most unhelpful tendencies and often make our greatest mistakes. "Paradoxically, it is also when we have the potential to take enormous leaps of personal maturity and societal courage .
It is that potential to which Jesus calls us." Budde had also spoken out after George Floyd's death , sharing with PBS that her children had taken part in Black Lives Matter protests..
