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.

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.

( 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 Episcopal bishop of Washington spoke with NPR to discuss her sermon addressing President Trump and why she asked him to have mercy.

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,

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 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,

When I was a kid, my favorite part about going to church was the homily. While the rest of Mass was a patchwork of Bible stories, songs and the kneeling, standing and sitting calisthenics of a Catholic Sunday morning,

I can't believe a so-called 'bishop' would stand up in church and ask President Trump to engage in some weird liberal behavior called 'mercy.'