On Wednesday, President Trump unleashed criticism at the “nasty” Democratic bishop who chastised him during the National Prayer Service, at the same time the church leader acknowledged that her remarks were indeed politically charged.
Trump’s outburst followed his attendance at Tuesday’s ceremony, where the Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde — the Episcopal bishop of Washington, DC — focused her sermon on undocumented immigrants, refugees, and the LGBTQ community.
“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 his Truth Social account just after midnight.
“She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way,” he said — adding that the tone she used was “nasty” and “not compelling or smart.”
He drew attention to her plea that he “have mercy” on immigrant families “whose children fear that their parents will be taken away.”
“She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people,” Trump wrote.
“Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA.”
Beyond “her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one,” Trump complained, noting how he remained grim-faced throughout Tuesday’s event.
“She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!” he wrote.
Budde — who also referenced “gay, lesbian and transgender children” who “fear for their lives” — later confirmed Tuesday night that she had intended her sermon as a direct “one-on-one conversation with the president.”
“I was looking at the president because I was speaking to him,” Budde told CNN.
“I was speaking to the president because I felt 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 said.
She clarified that she “wanted to counter, as gently as I could, with a reminder of (the illegal migrants) humanity and their place in our wider community,” emphasizing that she hoped to “have these conversations in a respectful way.”
{Matzav.com}