United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday called a Washington bishop “nasty” after she told him from the pulpit to have mercy on the country’s immigrants and LGBTQ people.
Trump fired off the insult, which he largely reserves for women he criticised, and said that Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde owes “the public” an apology.
“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 platform.
“She brought her church into the world of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart,” wrote Trump, after attending a service at the Washington National Cathedral given by Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.
Trump’s attack followed harsh criticism of the bishop by allies of the president earlier in the day.
Trump had issued orders on Monday, after being sworn in as president for the second time, to suspend the arrival of asylum seekers and expel migrants in the country illegally.
He also decreed that only two sexes male and female, but not transgender will be recognised.
Budde told an unsmiling Trump, who was seated in the church’s front pew for the customary inaugural service next to his wife Melania, “I ask you to have mercy, Mr President.”
The cleric said at the service, addressing Trump, “There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families — some who fear for their lives.”
She added, “I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear 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.”
Trump did not immediately respond to Budde’s comment in anger. During the service, he merely looked on awkwardly.
Asked what he thought about her remarks, Trump earlier said, “I didn’t think it was a good service.”
But in his Truth Social post, the president slammed Budde, without naming her, and railed against “illegal migrants”, “Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!”
Senator Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama also condemned Butte’s speech in a Newsmax interview Tuesday.
“For this bishop to do this to President Trump after a weekend of, as you said, talking about God more than ever,” Tuberville said, “talking about how he was spared to give an opportunity maybe to change this country back to something that it should be, it just absolutely amazes me how far these people go.”
Representative Mike Collins, a Georgia Republican, inexplicably called for Budde to be deported, “The person giving this sermon should be added to the deportation list.”
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