Episcopal Bishop of Washington, Mariann Edgar Budde, on Monday, urged Donald Trump to show compassion towards marginalised groups, including gay, lesbian, and transgender children, as well as undocumented immigrants.
“In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now,” Bishop Budde said during Trump’s inaugural prayer service at Washington National Cathedral. “There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and Independent families. Some who fear for their lives.”
President Trump, sitting alongside First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance, dismissed the service as unimpressive.
Who is Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde?
- Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde grew up in New Jersey and Colorado. She graduated with a BA in history from the University of Rochester in New York. She also holds a Master of Divinity degree (1989) and a Doctor of Ministry degree (2008) from Virginia Theological Seminary.
- She spent nearly two decades (18 years) as the rector of St John’s Episcopal Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Bishop Budde serves as the spiritual leader of 86 Episcopal congregations and ten Episcopal schools in the Columbia district and four Maryland counties.
- In 2011, she became the first woman to serve as the spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, which oversees the National Cathedral.
- She is also the chair of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation, which oversees the ministries of the Washington National Cathedral and its schools. The 65-year-old is known for her advocacy on issues such as gun violence prevention, racial equality, immigration reform, the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals, and environmental care.
- She is married to her husband, Paul, and the couple have two sons. They also have grandchildren.
Trump, who was sworn in as the 47th US President on Monday, issued a series of executive orders, including one that rolled back transgender rights and tightened immigration policies. The 78-year-old also signed an order eliminating birthright citizenship, saying that a child born in the US would not be granted citizenship unless at least one parent was an American citizen or green card holder.
Bishop Budde had a message for Trump during his first term as well. In 2020, she publicly criticised his use of the Bible as a political prop at St. John’s Church after officers used tear gas against racial justice protesters in Lafayette Square. In an op-ed for The New York Times, she condemned his actions, saying he misused sacred symbols while promoting views that contradicted the Bible’s teachings.
