Trump did not hold back at all.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump slammed the “nasty” Democratic bishop who used the National Prayer Service to deliver a political sermon, after the controversial Episcopal leader confirmed that her comments were intended as a direct message to him. The remarks, delivered by Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, D.C., were widely seen as an attempt to use the sacred occasion to push a left-wing agenda, discussing everything from illegal immigration to LGBTQ+ issues.
Trump, in a late-night Truth Social post, blasted Budde for politicizing the service and for her “ungracious” tone. He called her a “Radical Left hardline Trump hater” who was out of line in using her pulpit to attack him and his policies. The president specifically took issue with her comments about mercy for immigrant families, pointing out that she failed to acknowledge the crime wave caused by illegal immigration. “She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants who have come into our country and killed people,” Trump wrote, adding that many of them had been released from jails and mental institutions.
Trump also found the service itself lacking, calling it “boring” and “uninspiring.” He went so far as to say Budde wasn’t very good at her job, and that both she and her church owed the public an apology. His comments resonated with many conservatives, who felt that Budde’s sermon was an unwelcome political attack at a time meant for spiritual reflection.
Budde, however, defended her remarks, claiming that she was speaking directly to Trump during her sermon. She stated that her goal was to gently remind the president of the humanity of illegal migrants and the importance of mercy. But Republicans, including House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-Mich), quickly condemned her rhetoric. McClain called the bishop’s actions “extreme” and “out of line,” while Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) humorously suggested that Budde “should be added to the deportation list.”
Conservative Christian leaders also voiced strong opposition to Budde’s remarks. Pastor Rob McCoy, co-founder of Turning Point Faith, argued that the focus on LGBTQ+ issues rather than traditional Christian values is why many Americans have distanced themselves from mainline denominations like the Episcopal Church. It’s clear that Budde, a known political critic of Trump, has made her stance on these issues abundantly clear — but many conservatives argue that mixing politics with faith only further alienates the public.