Rev. Mariann Budde, the leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, delivered a powerful prayer at President Donald Trump's national prayer service that emphasized mercy and compassion for marginalized groups. While she acknowledged Trump's authority, her words drew criticism from conservative religious leaders who viewed them as disrespectful and confrontational.
38 minutes ago43 minutes agoArmy sergeant surprises son at school on his ninth birthday Trump ’s immigration-related executive orders causes uncertainty at San Antonio’s Migrant Resource CenterRev. Mariann Budde leads the national prayer service attended by President Donald Trump at the Washington National Cathedral, Tuesday, Jan.
21, 2025, in Washington. President Donald Trump, from left, watches as Rev. Mariann Budde arrives at the national prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Washington. Rev. Mariann Budde leads the national prayer service attended by President Donald Trump at the Washington National Cathedral, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Washington. It was not the first time the cleric has publicly disagreed with Trump, but it became a striking moment in what is usually a staid and“I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now,” she said. “There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives,” Budde preached. She said “the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals,” calling them “good neighbors” and “faithful members” of religious communities. Trump and Vice President JD Vance looked visibly disgruntled at times as they sat in the front pew with their wives. Vance raised his eyebrows and said something to second lady Usha Vance, who stared straight ahead.He later called Budde a “Radical Left hard line Trump hater” on his Truth Social site and demanded an apology for “her inappropriate statements.”with The Associated Press on Wednesday, Budde said she would continue to pray for the president, as is custom in Episcopal worship. “I don’t agree with many of his values and assumptions about American society and how to respond to the challenges of our time,” she said. “I strongly disagree, actually. But I believe we can disagree respectfully.”Budde, 65, is the first woman to lead the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, a position she has held since 2011. She oversees 86 churches across Washington, D.C., and Maryland, with 38,000 members. National spokespeople for the Episcopal Church called Budde “a valued and trusted pastor.” They said, “We stand by Bishop Budde and her appeal for the Christian values of mercy and compassion.” Before her current post, she served as a parish priest at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Minneapolis for 18 years. Budde grew up in New Jersey and Colorado, and for a time as a teenager, she identified as an evangelical. Later she returned to the Episcopal Church, the mainline Protestant denomination of her childhood. She graduated from the University of Rochester and Virginia Theological Seminary, an Episcopal institution just outside Washington.Budde knew last summer that the theme of the inaugural service would be unity after a “divisive election season.” “Couldn’t we just acknowledge that we can’t paint whole groups of people in one broad stroke? That’s the stuff of political campaigning. I understand that. But we’re running the country now,” she said. And as she watched the inauguration the day before she was set to preach, she noted Trump-supporting clergy offered a different Christian perspective in their prayers than her own. She hoped to show another way to interpret the world through the lens of faith. More than a dozen religious leaders spoke during the cathedral’s interfaith service, including those from Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu traditions. Notably absent from the invited clergy with speaking roles were conservative evangelicals, who are among Trump’s strongest supporters and now among Budde’s loudest critics. The strong reactions to Budde’s sermon largely fell along predictable political and religious lines. Progressive people of faith found in her an inspiring example of “.” Some conservative religious voices found her plea confrontational and disrespectful. Others took issue with a woman in a powerful church leadership role, which their traditions reserve for men. Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Dallas, a prominent Trump supporter, was at the service and posted on X that Budde “insulted rather than encouraged our great president” and “there was palpable disgust in the audience with her words.” Budde felt some of that pushback when she processed down the aisle of the cathedral after the service. The president did not acknowledge her when she passed. She thought phrasing her words to the president as a plea for mercy “was a very gentle way to do it because I was acknowledging his authority and his power.”from liberal-leaning Episcopalians for hosting Trump’s first inaugural prayer service. While Budde spoke at the service, there was no sermon that year at Trump’s request. The content of Budde’s words this time should come as no surprise to those who have watched her career.in 2020 after Trump staged an appearance in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church, which is near the White House. He held up a Bible after the area had been cleared of peaceful protesters. In 2023, Budde published a book that reflected on that summer of 2020 after George Floyd’s death, when she criticized the sitting president. It’s titled, “How We Learn to Be Brave.” “The capacity to respond in such a moment doesn’t drop from the sky, nor is its significance measured by a week’s worth of media coverage,” Budde wrote.___ Associated Press reporters Darlene Superville and Gary Fields in Washington contributed to this report.Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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