Politics
WATCH: Trump, Vance Roll Their Eyes As DC Bishop Hijacks ‘Bipartisan’ Service With Liberal Screed
In what was meant to be a solemn and unifying event, the so-called “bipartisan” prayer service in Washington, D.C. quickly took a turn when Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde seized the moment to deliver a pointedly liberal plea directly aimed at President Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The event, intended as a moment of national reflection, instead became yet another platform for progressive activism.
With cameras rolling, Budde launched into an emotional speech, imploring President Trump to “have mercy” on various progressive causes, including LGBTQ+ youth and illegal immigrants. Trump and Vance, visibly unimpressed, exchanged glances and appeared to roll their eyes as Budde pressed on with her politically charged sermon.
“Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you. And as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now,” Budde pleaded. She then proceeded to highlight concerns for LGBTQ+ children and illegal immigrants.
Budde continued, “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 may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors.”
While the bishop may have thought she was appealing to a sense of compassion, many saw it as another thinly veiled attempt to push for open borders and blanket amnesty policies. The bishop’s remarks quickly sparked backlash from those who viewed the speech as yet another example of the left hijacking religious platforms to push their political agenda.
WATCH:
According to reporter Charlie Spiering, Budde is not just a religious leader but also a political activist, having been a donor to former President Barack Obama. Financial records confirm that Budde contributed $250 to the Obama for America campaign in 2012, with a year-to-date total of $290. The donation was filed under her occupation as clergy for the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.
Despite the bishop’s lengthy plea, President Trump and Vice President Vance maintained their composure, but their reactions spoke volumes. On his first day back in office, President Trump wasted no time in implementing sweeping executive actions targeting immigration and LGBTQ+ policies.
Declaring a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, Trump ordered the immediate deployment of military personnel to bolster border security and crack down on “criminal aliens.” He also moved to suspend asylum and refugee programs, effectively halting new entries into the country.
Trump also signed an executive order aiming to end birthright citizenship for children born to non-citizens, a move expected to face significant legal challenges. On the cultural front, the president took steps to roll back progressive policies on gender identity, issuing an order defining gender strictly as male and female within federal agencies.
The order will require all federal departments to follow a binary definition of gender. Trump also reinstated a ban on transgenders serving in the military.
