The Bishop of Washington, Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, defended her plea to President Donald Trump during his inauguration, where she urged him to “have mercy” on marginalized groups, including the LGBTQ+ community and immigrants. In her sermon, she said, “In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.” She highlighted the struggles of vulnerable groups, emphasizing their humanity and contributions to society.
Trump criticized the sermon, calling it “not too exciting” and demanded an apology from Budde and the church. On NPR, Budde refused to apologize, stating, “I don’t hate the president, and I pray for him… I won’t apologize for what I said.” She expressed regret over the outrage but stood by her call for compassion, noting the importance of respectful dialogue over division.
