Woke bishop Mariann Budde admitted that she smartly used the National Prayer Service as an opportunity to deliver a political lecture to President Donald Trump, describing it as a "one-on-one conversation." The liberal Episcopal Bishop of Washington told CNN that she was "speaking directly" to Trump during her sermon.
Budde, who went viral after criticizing Trump during Tuesday's inaugural sermon, said that she made the harsh remarks due to his portrayal of transgender children and undocumented immigrants "in the harshest possible terms." Budde spoke out hours after Trump remarked that she "can do much better" following her sermon, in which she urged for "mercy" for undocumented immigrants and transgender children.
Admitting Her Stunt

"(I was) reminding us all that the people that are frightened in our country, the two groups that I mentioned, are our fellow human beings, and that they have been portrayed all throughout the political campaign in the harshest of lights," she said in Trump's reaction to her sermon.
"I wanted to counter, as gently as I could, with a reminder of their humanity and their place in our wider community.
"I was speaking to the president because I felt that he has this moment now where he feels charged and empowered to do what he feels called to do, and I wanted to say there is room for mercy. There is room for a broader compassion.
"We don't need to portray with a broad cloth in the harshest of terms some of the most vulnerable people in our society, who are in fact our neighbors and our friends."
When reporters at the White House asked Trump for his opinion on the sermon delivered earlier by Bishop Budde, he replied, "What did you think? Did you like it? Did you find it exciting?"

"Not too exciting, was it? I didn't think it was a good service. Thank you very much."
Trump ended by saying, "They can do much better."
This exchange came after Budde, 65, faced criticism for her remarks at the National Prayer Service on Trump's first full day back in office. She delivered a passionate sermon claiming that transgender children were "fearing for their lives" because of his presidency.
Attacking Trump in Her own Way
Trump remained expressionless in the front row, sitting next to First Lady Melania Trump, as Budde told him that illegal immigrants were "not criminals" and urged him not to deport those with children.

After the sermon went viral, a photo from Budde's church, St. Paul and St. Andrew United Methodist Church, circulated online. The church, which reportedly also is a shelter for migrants, appeared to be trying to block ICE and Homeland Security from entering.
Budde's sermon sparked outrage from conservatives, with many criticizing her for politicizing a religious service. Republican Congressman Mike Collins remarked on X: "The person giving this sermon should be added to the deportation list."
During her sermon, Budde addressed Trump directly, pleading with him to show "mercy upon the people in our country that are scared now."
"There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and Independent families, some who fear for their lives," she continued.
Addressing the topic of illegal immigration, a key focus of Trump's successful presidential campaign, Budde implored him to reconsider his plans for widespread deportations. "The people who pick our crops, and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meat packing plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants, and work the night shifts in hospitals, they might not be citizens or have the proper documentation," she said.
After the 2024 election, Budde issued a statement to her Washington diocese, addressing the "divisive political rhetoric" during the campaign season.
She described Trump's win as a "dramatic shift in power," which left many in her congregation feeling "worrisome and even frightening."
Budde wrote in November 2024: "I'm grateful for the consistent message of those prayers: that regardless of political affiliation and strongly-held views, we are united in our commitment to follow Jesus in the way of love.
"Such love calls us to seek and serve Christ in all persons and uphold the dignity of every human being—a tall order at any time, but all the more so throughout a season of heated, divisive political rhetoric.
"Now the political realignment begins, in a dramatic shift of power. For some, this is very good news; for others, it is worrisome and even frightening."
She added, "'Without question, it will personally impact 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 greatest mistakes.
"Paradoxically, it is also when we have the potential to take enormous leaps of personal maturity and societal courage. It is that potential to which Jesus calls us."
Budde had also spoken out after George Floyd's death, sharing with PBS that her children had taken part in Black Lives Matter protests.