The bishop who received Donald Trump’s wrath after pleading with him to show “mercy” towards LGBTQ+ people and illegal immigrants previously criticized Donald Trump for his “divisive” rhetoric and “immoral” leadership.
The Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde has a long-held antipathy toward the president that dates back to his first term.
Budde reignited the dispute after he used a service at the Washington National Cathedral to urge Trump to show “mercy” toward LGBTQ+ people and illegal immigrants.
However, his words fell on deaf ears and the president immediately hit back at Truth Social, demanding an apology and calling her “disgusting” and “unintelligent.”
But resurfaced videos and articles about Budde’s past comments reveal just how deep his fissure runs.
Resurfaced videos show Budde in 2020 saying she was “outraged” at Trump for hosting a photo opportunity outside the historic St. John’s Church, across from the White House.
The president was photographed holding a Bible after police cleared the area of Black Lives Matter protesters responding to the killing of George Floyd.
Budde said Trump had “used a Bible and one of the churches in my diocese as a backdrop for a message contrary to the teachings of Jesus and everything our church stands for.”
“He took the sacred symbols of our tradition and stood in front of a house of prayer with full expectation that it would be a moment of celebration,” Budde fumed.
He had also previously spoken out following the death of George Floyd, seen here, when he called for Trump to be replaced in the summer of 2020.
She went on to tell Washington Post that everything Trump ‘has said and done is to inflame violence’ and accused him of divisive and immoral leadership.
Budde later went on to say that he had “given up” on trying to speak to the president and called for Trump to be replaced.
Following the 2024 election, Budde made a statement to his diocese in Washington, where he spoke about the “divisive political rhetoric” used during the season.
He called Trump’s victory a “dramatic shift in power,” which was “troubling and even frightening” to some members of his church.
She wrote in November 2024: “I am grateful for the constant message of those prayers: that, regardless of political affiliation and firmly held opinions, we are united in our commitment to follow Jesus in the path of love.
‘That love calls us to seek and serve Christ in all people and to defend the dignity of every human being: a difficult task at any time, but even more so during a season of heated and divisive political rhetoric.
‘Now the political realignment begins, with a dramatic change of power. For some, this is very good news; For others, it is worrying and even terrifying.
Budde added: ‘Without a doubt, it will personally affect 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 biggest mistakes.”
He had also previously spoken out after the death of George Floyd, when he called for Trump to be replaced.
Budde said: “It’s a message calling for justice, for quick justice for George Floyd.” For systemic justice for all black and brown people who have been under the control of this country.
‘This uprising is from people mostly half my age, they are the ones you should listen to.
“I’ve stopped talking to President Trump, we need to replace President Trump.”
He also told PBS: ‘There is a deep desire for the fundamental issues at stake to come to light in the wake of the murderous death of George Floyd.
“That needs to be addressed systemically and fundamentally, from every police department in the country and the actions of civilian watchdogs.”
During Tuesday’s sermon, he told the congregation: “There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families, some of whom fear for their lives.”
She addressed Trump directly, as he sat in a red tie on the bench next to his wife and his new vice president.
‘Millions have put their trust in you, in the name of our God, I ask you, have mercy on the people of our country who are now scared.
Budde went on to reference the immigrant workforce across the United States, who clean restaurant kitchens and pick crops.
He urged the new president: “They may not be citizens or have proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals.”
Trump showed no reaction and looked weary after a full day and night of inauguration festivities. Other members of the congregation seemed uncomfortable.

After the sermon, Budde appeared on CNN, seen here, and said he used the service to go after Trump.
After the sermon, Trump spoke to reporters and briefly said he thought Budde “could have been a lot better.”
That was hours before a Truth Social post in the middle of the night in which he unleashed on the Bishop.
“The so-called bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service Tuesday morning was a left-wing radical who hated Trump,” the president wrote.
‘She brought her church into the world of politics in a very rude way. It had an unpleasant tone, not at all convincing or intelligent.
His post came after Budde admitted live on CNN that he had used the National Prayer Service to rebuke Trump.
She told the outlet: ‘(I was) reminding us all that people are scared in our country.
‘The two groups I mentioned are our peers and have been portrayed throughout the political campaign in the harshest light.
‘I wanted to respond, as gently as possible, with a reminder of your humanity and your place in our broader community.
“I spoke to the president because I felt like he now has this moment where he feels charged and empowered to do what he feels called to do, and I wanted to tell him that there is room for mercy. There is room for broader compassion.
“We do not need to portray with a veil and in the harshest terms some of the most vulnerable people in our society, who are in fact our neighbors and our friends.”
The bishop, who proudly puts her pronouns in her Instagram bio, is also in favor of gay marriage and previously donated money to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.
In an article published in the Washington Post in 2011, after being installed as the ninth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, she was described as “absolutely liberal.”
Speaking then, he told the outlet: “I’m in favor of gay marriage, I always have been.” At this point it’s a no-brainer.”
The diocese’s website boasts that she serves as an advocate for racial equity, gun violence prevention, immigration reform and inclusion.
Budde, who is married with two adult children, had also previously overseen a convention in the diocese calling for the deuse of gender pronouns for God.