It was estimated that millions of people from all around the world watched the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States of America. Among the many events that were held to commemorate the occasion, a sermon that was delivered during the first prayer service that was held at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, has been the primary topic of conversation. The statements made by Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde were not only unexpected but also thought-provoking, as they addressed subjects that many people might not have anticipated hearing in such a context.
When Bishop Budde delivered her speech, which lasted for fifteen minutes, she addressed President Trump personally and made a number of forceful appeals. “Permit me to make one last appeal, Mr. President,” she added as she was nearing the end of her religious discourse. You have earned the confidence of millions of people. Additionally, as you shared with the nation the day before, you have experienced the providential hand of a God who is kind. I pray that you will have compassion on the people in our nation who are experiencing fear at this time. I say this in the name of our God. During this particular instant, it seemed as though she was directing her eyes toward the president.
In his speech, Budde did not avoid addressing the issues that were being faced by underrepresented groups. She mentioned that there are children all around the country that are homosexual, lesbian, or transgender, and she mentioned that they “fear for their lives.” Her statements gave the impression that she was acknowledging the worry that exists within the LGBTQIA+ community surrounding the administration of Trump.
The speech was delivered one day after President Trump issued a number of executive measures that have already been the subject of political debate. A number of these decrees included the recognition of biological differences between men and women, the declaration of a national emergency at the southern border, and the revocation of birthright citizenship. The behaviors of these individuals were directly addressed by Budde, who also discussed the contributions that immigrants have made to the nation.
“The individuals who pick our crops and clean our office buildings; who work in chicken farms and meat packing facilities; who wash the dishes after we dine in restaurants and who work the night shifts in hospitals—it is possible that they are not citizens or that they do not have the appropriate papers. The overwhelming majority of immigrants, on the other hand, are not criminals. According to her, “They are good neighbors and they pay their taxes.”
Bishop Budde is not a stranger to criticizing President Trump in public forum. She came to the notice of the entire nation in the year 2020 when President Trump posed for a photograph outside of a boarded-up St. John’s Episcopal Church while holding a Bible. This occurred after law enforcement had used chemical agents to disperse demonstrators who were demanding racial justice. Budde made the following statement at the time: “Everything he has said and done is there to inflame conflict… Because he has done all in his power to divide us, we are in need of moral leadership.
In spite of the fact that President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance remained expressionless during the sermon, some people’s reactions were more outspoken. Using social media, Republican Representative Mike Collins of Georgia expressed his opinion that the individual who was delivering this sermon ought to be included on the list of people who should be deported.
“I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away,” Budde resumed her pleading in the final moments of her presentation. “I ask you to have mercy on those.” as well as the fact that you assist those individuals who are escaping war zones and persecution in their own countries in discovering compassion and a sense of welcome here. According to the teachings of our God, we ought to show mercy to those who are unfamiliar with us, because we were all once foreigners in this nation.
Trump gave a remark that was succinct and dismissive when he was questioned about his thoughts on the sermon. In a conversation with the media, he made the following statement: “I didn’t think it was a good service.”
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