The inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States drew millions of viewers from across the globe. Among the many events marking the occasion, a sermon delivered during the inaugural prayer service at Washington’s National Cathedral has become a focal point of discussion. Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde’s remarks were both surprising and provocative, addressing topics that many didn’t expect to hear in such a setting.

During her 15-minute sermon, Bishop Budde directly addressed President Trump with a series of pointed appeals. Toward the end of her sermon, she said, “Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you. And as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.” At this moment, she appeared to direct her gaze toward the president.

Budde didn’t shy away from addressing the concerns of marginalized groups. She spoke of gay, lesbian, and transgender children across the nation who, she noted, “fear for their lives.” Her remarks seemed to acknowledge the anxiety within the LGBTQIA+ community regarding Trump’s administration.

The sermon came a day after Trump issued a series of executive orders that have already sparked controversy. Among these were orders recognizing biological distinctions between men and women, declaring a national emergency at the southern border, and rescinding birthright citizenship. Budde addressed these actions head-on, speaking about the contributions of immigrants to the country.

“The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings; who labor in poultry farms and meat packing plants; who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals—they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation. But the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors,” she said.

Bishop Budde is no stranger to publicly critiquing Trump. She gained national attention in 2020 when Trump posed for a photo outside a boarded-up St. John’s Episcopal Church, Bible in hand, after law enforcement had dispersed racial justice protesters with chemical agents. At the time, Budde stated, “Everything he has said and done is to inflame violence… We need moral leadership, and he’s done everything to divide us.”

While President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance maintained neutral expressions during the sermon, other reactions were less restrained. Republican Representative Mike Collins of Georgia took to social media to say, “The person giving this sermon should be added to the deportation list.”

In the closing moments of her address, Budde continued her plea: “I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away. And that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here. Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land.”

When asked about his thoughts on the sermon, Trump’s response was brief and dismissive. Speaking to reporters, he remarked, “I didn’t think it was a good service.”

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