The controversy surrounding the sermon delivered by Bishop Mariann Budde at the Washington National Cathedral has reached a new level, with former President Donald Trump publicly expressing his outrage and demanding an apology from her church.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump referred to Bishop Budde as a “Radical Left hard line Trump hater” and criticized her for bringing her church into politics. He specifically called her speech “nasty, not compelling, and not smart,” and called for an apology from her church.
Budde’s sermon, delivered the day after Trump’s inauguration, focused on urging the president to show mercy to immigrants and LGBTQ+ individuals in the country. However, Trump took issue with her failure to address alleged crimes committed by immigrants and claimed that the USA is currently experiencing a massive crime wave.
Despite acknowledging Budde’s mention of immigrants in her speech, Trump deemed her remarks inappropriate and expressed boredom with her message. The tension between the two escalated as Trump, along with Vice President J.D. Vance, First Lady Melania Trump, First Daughter Tiffany Trump, and daughter-in-law Lara, listened to the sermon with visible disapproval.
Republican lawmakers, including Georgia Congressman Mike Collins, have also criticized Budde, with Collins going as far as suggesting that she should be added to the “deportation list.” However, this suggestion is clearly unfounded as Budde is an American citizen born in New Jersey in 1959.
In the midst of the controversy, Trump has reaffirmed his stance on immigration and LGBTQ+ issues by signing executive orders that reflect his policies, including ending birthright citizenship and federally recognizing only two genders, male and female.
Despite the backlash from Trump and other critics, Bishop Budde remains steadfast in her advocacy for marginalized communities. The public dispute between Trump and Budde underscores the deep political and social divisions that continue to characterize the American landscape.
