During the traditional national prayer service Tuesday at St. John’s Episcopal Church, President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance appeared visibly annoyed when Bishop Mariann Budde (pictured below) used the pulpit to preach from left-wing talking points.
“There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives,” Budde claimed.
Moving from the rainbow flag to illegal immigrants, the bishop rattled off the menial jobs many of them do – picking crops, washing dishes – and then warned they, too, are living in fear.
It didn’t have to be stated the bishop believes people are living in fear because of the 47th president seated in front of her, a wannabe dictator who will end democracy and jail journalists, at least according to the women on "The View" and MSNBC.
Jeff Walton, of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, tells AFN the 47th president got ambushed by a longtime political activist who has publicly denounced him in the past.
“She had one chance to maximize her political moment,” Walton says, “and she took it.”
Walton, the Anglican program director at the IRD, is familiar with the Episcopalian denomination and its traditions. He is also familiar with its embrace of the political left going back many years, especially among its leadership. So it was no surprise for him to watch a bishop use the pulpit for politics.
“We cannot expect dignified restraint,” he tells AFN, “from clergy who see their chief vocation as political advocacy.”
Also in attendance Monday at the historic church service was Rep. Jeff Crank, a freshman Republican congressman who is representing Colorado’s 5th District. Asked for comment about the bishop’s conduct, Crank told AFN he witnessed an “outrageous political speech from the pulpit.”
Ed Vitagliano, of the American Family Association, says the sermon was meant to shame President Trump but really reflected on the bishop.
“I think it demonstrates the lingering hostility that members of the Left have,” he observes.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump called Budde a “so-called Bishop” and a “Radical Left hard line Trump hater.”
Vitagliano, who is himself an ordained minister, says the word “Ichabod” was used in the Old Testament when the Spirit of God had departed the Jewish temple during a time of divine judgement.
“And I think it's clear that that's what's happened,” he says, “to the Episcopal Church.”
St. John's was backdrop for Trump and Bible
Every U.S. president going back to James Madison has attended a service at St. John’s, located north of the White House across Lafayette Square.
The church website that describes that history boasts photos of many other U.S. presidents making history but tellingly has no photo of Trump, the 45th and 47th president who attended a less-controversial service seven years ago, too.
St. John's also became famous for President Trump's Bible-holding photo op, in June 2020, which occurred after violent race riots erupted around the White House.
The church itself was set on fire, covered with graffiti, and its windows were smashed, but its church leaders including Budde defended the protesters but were furious at Trump.
The liberal church leaders also accused Trump of ordering police to tear-gas the protesters, an accusation that was proven untrue after an inspector general's investigation.
Editor's Note: The American Family Association is the parent organization of the American Family News Network, which operates AFN.net.
