Bishop Mariann Budde defends plea directed at Trump during inaugural prayer service
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.
The Right Rev. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, on Wednesday defended a plea for mercy she made to President Donald Trump on behalf of immigrants and others during an inaugural prayer service the day before.
"We're in a particularly harsh moment now when it comes to conversations around immigrant populations in our midst, and so that was the reason for the tone I took now," Budde said during an MSNBC interview.
Trump attended the inaugural prayer service at Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday, during which Budde implored the president to “have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now,” referring specifically to gay, lesbian and transgender children, some of whom she said “fear for their lives.”
Budde told host Rachel Maddow that rather than use "sweeping terms," she sought to make a direct appeal to Trump, whom she noted was entrusted with power by millions of voters.
“I wanted to make, as you heard, a plea, a request that he broaden his characterization of the people that are frightened now and are at risk of losing everything, and I thought that that would be the more respectful way to say it," Budde said.
Rating: 5