Not yet a week into Donald Trump’s second term, the president is already throwing a tantrum on Truth Social over a “woke” bishop. During Tuesday morning’s national prayer service, Episcopal Bishop of Washington Mariann Edgar Budde made waves when she asked Trump to “have mercy” on the country’s migrant and LGBTQ+ communities in front of the president’s political allies and family. “There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives,” Reverend Budde reminded the commander-in-chief from the pulpit as she tried to appeal to his remaining humanity. Despite her impassioned plea, Trump’s expression remained frozen. But it seems the 78-year-old was just saving up his ire for his preferred method of communication.
“The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater,” Trump wrote on Truth Social at 1 a.m. on Wednesday. “She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart.
“Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one,” he added after accusing a “large number of illegal migrants” of killing Americans. “She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!”
I’d argue that Reverend Budde’s tone was not nasty but actually quite gentle. I think many of us, if given the opportunity to address Trump directly, would not be so kind. “I wanted to counter, as gently as I could, with a reminder of [the migrant community’s] humanity and their place in our wider community,” the reverend told CNN after the service.
“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,” she continued. “There is room for a broader compassion.”