President Donald Trump has taken a jab at Bishop Mariann Budde following her speech at his inauguration. On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, during the National Prayer Service, Budde asked Trump to show mercy to immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community.
Following her comment, many users have taken to their respective social media accounts to express their opinion on her speech, including Trump himself. Following her speech, President Trump took to his account on Truth Social, describing her as a “radical left hardline Trump hater.”
Taking to Truth Social on Wednesday, January 22, 2024, Trump wrote, “She brought her church into the world of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone and not compelling or smart. She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people.”
Referencing his 2024 presidential campaign claims, Trump continued, “Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA. She and her church owe the public an apology!” Subsequently, President Trump went on to accuse Budde of being terrible at her job, describing her lecture as “uninspiring and very boring.”
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What Is Donald Trump’s Stance on LGBTQ+ Rights?
On Monday, January 20, 2024, President Donald Trump signed an executive order recognizing only male and female sexes. According to the order, the United States government will only formally recognize the two non-changeable sexes of male and female.
The signed order mandates that the government use the term “sex” rather than “gender.” Additionally, the order mandates that official documents, like passports and visas, reflect an individual’s biological sex as male or female. This order fulfills Trump’s promise to undo Biden’s focus on diversity initiatives in the federal government.
During his administration, former President Joe Biden issued over 12 executive orders focusing on racial fairness and combating discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals. However, following Trump’s inauguration, he reversed orders on recognizing separate sexes and prohibited gender ideology propagation.
In his inaugural speech, Trump said the order was part of his plan to curb federal efforts to socially engineer race and gender in all aspects of life. However, it remains to be seen how other LGBTQ+ rights would fare under Trump’s new administration. Following Trump’s executive order, several LGBTQ+ rights advocacy groups are already opposing the executive order.
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For example, Lambda Legal has stated that they are getting ready to challenge Trump’s decision in court. According to an email by the CEO of Lambda Legal, Kevin Jennings, the new administration aims to restrict protections against sex discrimination and abuse.
Jennings further stated that Trump’s administration aims to make life significantly more difficult for intersex, nonbinary, and transgender individuals.
What Did Bishop Mariann Budde Say About Donald Trump’s Visit to St. John’s Episcopal Church?
On Tuesday, January 21, Bishop Marian Edgar Budde delivered her sermon in the presence of the newly inaugurated U.S. leaders. Budde gave her speech during a Washington National Cathedral prayer session. In her speech, she spoke briefly to the president about creating an inclusive society in the United States.
Budde said, “I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender people in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives… and the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals.”
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For the duration of her speech, Donald Trump and Melania Trump kept a straight face while Vice President J.D. Vance turned to his wife, looking irritated. However, Budde continued asking the new leaders to pray for unity that fosters community across diversity and division, not just political agreement.
Subsequently, after the service, Trump addressed reporters in a video shared by the AP. Trump said, “It was not very thrilling, was it? No, I did not think the service was very nice. They could do much better.” Budde’s speech came in the wake of Trump’s inaugural speech, where he announced a new golden age of America.
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