The first woman to serve as the spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, Bishop Budde had a message for President Trump during his first term, too.

Rev. Mariann Budde the Episcopal Bishop of Washington defended a plea for mercy she made to President Donald Trump on behalf of immigrants and others during an inaugural prayer service a day before.

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde isn’t afraid to speak truth to power. Unlike almost everyone else in President Donald Trump’s orbit these days. And she has no plans to apologize for asking Trump to show mercy on the people he has terrorized in his first days back in power.

President Donald Trump, left, watches as Rev. Mariann Budde, second right, arrives at the national prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump,

( The Hill) — Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde called on President Trump to have mercy on transgender children and immigrant families at a National Cathedral prayer service for the inauguration Tuesday, which went viral and prompted the president to call her “nasty in tone” and “not compelling or smart.”

The bishop who publicly urged Donald Trump to “have mercy” on immigrants and LGBTQ people – and was dismissed as “a Radical Left hard line Trump hater” by the president – responded with an appearance,

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and their families were in attendance at the prayer service on Tuesday.

Mariann Budde, 65, is the Episcopalian bishop who confronted Trump during the National Prayer Service. Trump and Vice President JD Vance were in attendance as part of their first full day in the Oval Office.

The Right Rev. Mariann Budde, Episcopal bishop of the Diocese of Washington, made headlines this week after she angered President Donald Trump with her sermon during an inaugural prayer service.

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves,” says a passage from the Bible. These words were written thousands of years ago but are applicable today.

Between the Christianity of Trump and the Christianity of Christ, we recognize the widest possible difference.