Referencing Trump’s belief that he was saved by God from assassination, the Bishop Mariann Budde said, “You have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.”
After he returned to the White House, Trump said, “I didn't think it was a good service” and “they could do much better.” But later, in an overnight post on his social media site, he sharply criticized the “so-called Bishop” as a “Radical Left hard line Trump hater.”
“She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart,” said Trump, a Republican, adding that Budde didn't mention that some migrants have come to the United States and killed people.
“Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. She is not very good at her job!” Trump said. “She and her church owe the public an apology!”
More than a dozen religious leaders spoke during the interfaith service, including those from Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu traditions.
Notably absent from the invited clergy with speaking roles were conservative evangelicals, who are among Trump’s strongest supporters.
Nonetheless, some of those evangelical supporters were in the pews including Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church Dallas.
Jeffress posted on X that Budde “insulted rather than encouraged our great president” and that “there was palpable disgust in the audience with her words.”
