‘The View’: Bishop Responds to Trump’s Demand for Apology After ‘Mercy’ Speech (VIDEO)

Bishop Budde on The View
ABC

Talk about a hot “Hot Topic.” On Wednesday’s (January 22) edition of The View, the cohosts welcomed a very timely guest: Right Rev Mariann Budde, the bishop who pleaded directly to Donald Trump at her service for “mercy” for those who were “scared” of his presidency on Tuesday.

Citing members of the LGBTQ community and undocumented immigrants who may “fear for their lives” under Trump’s policies (such as making it an official federal stance that there are only two genders, male and female, and promising mass deportations of migrants), Budde said from the lectern at Washington National Cathedral, “In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.” 

Trump responded to the moment by saying, “I didn’t think it was a good service, no… They could do much better.” He later wrote on his social media platform, “The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard-line Trump hater. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart … She and her church owe the public an apology!”

Budde appeared virtually on the show to speak about that speech (and the presidential response), volleying the questions of each panelist along the way.

Joy Behar was the first to talk to her and commended her for having “more fearlessness than anyone in Congress right now” before asking, “What made you decide to use that opportunity for this message?”

To that Budde answered, “My responsibility yesterday morning was to reflect, to pray with the nation for unity, and as I was pondering what are the foundations of unity, I wanted to emphasize respecting the honor and dignity of every human being, basic honesty and humility. And then I also realized that in that that unity requires a certain degree of mercy.” 

Ana Navarro chimed in second, asking if she was aware of Trump, Vance, and their families’ facial reactions to her sermon. To that, Budde explained, essentially, that she didn’t pay attention to that and added, “I had to leave it to them, to all of us, to take from whatever my words were, to heart in whichever way they could and, as they say, leave the rest to God.”

Budde was then asked by Sara Haines to speak directly to Trump’s criticisms and answer whether her speech was being politicized. “How could it not be politicized, right? We’re in a hyper-political climate,” Budde responded. “One of the things I caution about is the culture of contempt in which we live that immediately rushes to the worst possible interpretations of what people are saying.” She went on to note that her approach was “respectful and kind.”

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 21: (EDITOR'S NOTE: Alternate crop) Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde (L) arrives as U.S. President Donald Trump looks on during the National Prayer Service at Washington National Cathedral on January 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. Tuesday marks Trump's first full day of his second term in the White House. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Photo by Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

When Alyssa Farah Griffin awkwardly asked whether it would’ve been better if she’d just had that conversation directly with Trump, for some reason, Budde responded simply, “I’ve never been invited into a one-on-one conversation with President Trump, and I would welcome that opportunity. I have no idea how that would go. I can assure him and everyone listening that I would be as respectful as I would with any with any person, and certainly of his office, for which I have a great deal of respect. But I the invitation would have to come from him.” 

The conversation then closed with Sunny Hostin asking about her other churches’ policies of providing sanctuary for undocumented immigrants amid immigration raids, and she said that officers are able to come in with proper warrants but added, “It has been an unwritten policy that there are some places — and particularly churches, schools, and other places where all sorts of people gather to create a sense of safety and to allow people’s basic human and spiritual needs to be met. We are we have a lot of churches in our particular denomination that meet the needs of immigrants and other vulnerable populations, and we need now to be especially mindful and to make sure that basic human rights are protected and people’s needs can be met.”

The View, weekdays, 11 a.m. ET, ABC

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  1. P

    PurpleGlasses

    Religious leaders should stand up for to politicians of any party or country. They should not be enabling or apologetic for leaders with bad behavior or poor character. Good for her.

    28 12

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    CyanGuitar

    The prophets of the Bible regularly and unapologetically challenged sinful kings.

    17 7

    1. O

      OrangePin

      She's not a prophet and he's not a king. She was out of line. Politics have no place in a church service nor do her opinions.

      5 7

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        Antonio Montealegre

        Tell that to the Catholic bishops who just supported her.

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      2. G

        GoldCar

        Really?? Politics have no place in a church service?? Tell that to the priests and ministers who hard-line their churches' positions from the pulpit every Sunday. Government can have no say in citizens' religion or worship, but boy, places of worship sure can get involved in politics!! And they do.

        It's one reason I stopped going into a church every Sunday. I feel closer to my faith when I'm on a beautiful morning walk.

        5

      3. O

        OliveBox

        In the religious tenant is in agreement with your orange clown, then you are the most religious people in the world. But when he is held to a standard, then y'all get mad

        1 2

    2. C

      CyanPumpkin

      Sadly, most evangelical churches in America and elsewhere only enable Trump and never challenge him.

  3. C

    CyanPumpkin

    Bishop Budde's words and actions speak to the teachings of Christ. It's deeply sad that so many who profess to love Him or follow Him don't see that.

    9 2

  4. O

    OlivePaw

    I can not support this at all. If church leaders begin to dictact to the Govt., reproductive rights are gone. You cant have your cake and eat it too. Either there is seperation of church and state or thete isnt.

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    1. G

      GoldCar

      I agree wholeheartedly that separation of church & state should be the law of the land. BUT... mercy and compassion are not political. They are Christian values-- they are HUMAN values-- directly from the Bible itself.

  5. O

    OrangeBike

    (continuation) 2021-2022 Homosexuality in Leviticus: A Historical-Literary-Critical Analysis

    Ian Jarosz James Madison University -- Part 5

    This again references sexual activity between a man and a boy. Since the text does not specify that the boy is related to the man in any way, the meaning should be taken as a condemnation of male sexual activities with any boy. However, since the text does specify a boy rather than any male, one can infer that the issue here is the age of the boy (Wenham 361). When declaring himself worthy of a peaceful afterlife, it would be important that the man had not exploited a child.

    Documents from Assyrian and Babylonian cultures would have been well known to post-exilic Judean priests compelled to live in Babylon. Ancient Mesopotamian cultures seem to have had a relatively tolerant attitude toward homosexuality as well, as attested by a wealth of textual artifacts that indicates their views. These documents from Assyrian and Babylonian cultures would have been well known to post-exilic Judean priests compelled to live in Babylon after the destruction of their own cities by the Assyrian and Babylonian militaries. Pieces of Mesopotamian iconography, starting as early as around 3000 BCE, often depict sexual activity between men. Documents attest to same-sex activities occurring in private, in cults, and professionally in cases of male prostitutes (Bottéro and Petschow, section 16).

    3 1

  6. O

    OrangeBike

    GOD's words here in the HOLY BIBLE are attestation to the fact that GOD created "A MAN" and "A WOMAN" .... "MALE" and "FEMALE".

    3 1

    1. O

      OrangeBike

      Pres. TRUMP is more truly a man of GOD than this FAKE BISHOP who seems not adept nor well-verse in the HOLY BIBLE!!!!!!!!

      2 1

      1. O

        OrangeBike

        She is truly an embarrassment to the people and children of GOD who are truly and genuinely well-versed in GOD's Words LITERALLY and SPIRITUALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        2 1

  7. O

    OrangeBike

    THE HOLY BIBLE

    +++ The Book of LEVITICUS +++

    Chapter 20; Verse 13

    13 -- IF A MAN HAS SEXUAL RELATIONS TIWH A MALE (as with a woman) BOTH OF THEM HAVE COMMITTED 'ABOMINATION': THEY SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH; THEIR BLOOD SHALL BE UPON THEM. IF A MAN LIES WITH A MAN (as with a woman) THEY HAVE BOTH COMMITTED AN ABOMINATION.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    THE HOLY BIBLE

    +++ The Book of ROMANS +++

    Chapter 1:24-27; 32

    24 -- THEREFORE, GOD GAVE THEM OVER TO IN THE SINFUL DESIRES OF THEIR HEARTS TO SEXUAL IMPURITY FOR THE DEGRADING OF THEIR BODIES WITH ONE ANOTHER.

    25 -- 'THEY EXCHANGE THE TRUTH OF GOD FOR A LIE' -- AND WORSHIP AND SERVED CREATEDTHINGS RATHER THAT THE 'CREATOR' -- WHO IS FOREVER PRAISED. AMEN+++

    26 -- BECAUSE OF THIS, GOD GAVE THEM OVER TO SHAMEFUL LUSTS. EVEN THEIR WOMEN EXCHANGED NATURAL RELATIONS FOR UNNATURAL ONES.

    27 -- IN THE SAME WAY, THE MEN ALSO ABAANDONED NATURAL RELATIONS WITH WOMEN AND WERE 'INFLAMED WITH LUSTS FOR ONE ANOTHER'. MEN COMMITTED INDECENT ACTS WITH OTHER MEN, AND RECEIVED IN THEMSELVES THE DUE PENALTY FOR THEIR PERVERSION.

    32 -- ALTHOUGH THEY KNOW GOD'S RIGHTEOUS DECREE THAT THOSE WHO DO SUCH THINGS 'DESERVE DEATH -- THEY NOT ONLY CONTINUE TO DO THESE VERY THINGS, BUT ALSO APPROVE OF THOSE WHO PRACTICE THEM.

    3 2

    1. G

      GoldAnchor

      Lunatic

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        OrangeBike

        So you declare yourself as a LUNATIC, eh!!!!

        1

        1. O

          OrangeBike

          I REBUKE YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS! I SEAL MY REBUKE AGAINST YOU WITH THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB OF GOD!!

          1 1

  8. G

    GoldBattery

    God does not use his churches to show disrespect, obvious dislikes nor negativity. Personal views, opinions, political ideals have no place in any church. Her speech was wrong on every level. Stick to the Bible and God's teachings, you Budde, have no place in that setting.

    22 24

    1. A

      Antonio Montealegre

      I'm just glad Trump didn't show disrespect by either walking out or shouting at her! At least he kept his mouth shut until he was out of there and waited until he was back at the WH or commenting on Truth Social.

      1 1

    2. G

      GoldCar

      You do know the story about Jesus knocking over tables in the temple, right?? He faced up to leaders and government officials who were doing wrong, and TOLD THEM they were doing wrong. So, it's not exactly unheard of.

      I wonder why Trump didn't put his hand on the Bible.... disrespectful!!! An outrage!!! (Haha, no, he was just unwilling to invite a bolt of lightning by lying while touching a bible.)

      6 3

    3. E

      Ealgylden

      That's not accurate in any part. Not theologically, not historically, not politically. Asking mercy for the vulnerable is wholly, definitively within the purview of any religious leader. Indeed, it's their duty to do so.

      11 5

    4. C

      CyanPumpkin

      You must not have even the slightest, tiniest idea about what Christianity is, or any of Christ's teachings.

      2 2

  9. O

    OliveDice

    I do not stand with with preaching politics from the pulpit, because it takes the focus off of God and puts it on worldly affairs. The Church is consecrated to God, so worshiping Him should be its sole focus.

    Also, the Bible clearly says that women should not have leadership positions in a church. You may not like it, but it is what it is.

    6 9

    1. G

      GoldCar

      Chapter and verse, please?

      2

      1. O

        OrangeDog

        The Bible is stupid, get over it

        1

  10. G

    GreenElephant

    She is a wacko...she is nobody that knows nothing....go back to your cave nasty lady...you do 't preach the lords words!!!

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      OrangeDog

      You sound like a redneck moron lol

      1