At inaugural prayer service, bishop pleads for Trump to ‘have mercy’ on LGBTQ+ people and migrants
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At the inaugural prayer service, the Right Rev. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, made a direct appeal to President Donald Trump to have mercy on the LGBTQ+ community and undocumented migrant workers. Referencing Trump’s belief that he was saved by God from assassination, Budde said, “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.”.
The Trump administration has already issued executive orders rolling back transgender rights and toughening immigration policies. When he returned to the White House, Trump was asked about the sermon. “Not too exciting, was it?” the president said as he walked with staff toward the Oval Office. “I didn’t think it was a good service. They could do much better.".
The Washington National Cathedral service was largely focused on national unity. Trump and Vice President JD Vance were in attendance with their families, along with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth. In her sermon, Budde said they gathered “to pray for unity as a people and a nation — not for agreement, political or otherwise — but for the kind of unity that fosters community across diversity and division.”.
