Donald Trump remained stone-faced as Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde urged him to “have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now” during an interfaith prayer service.
The US president began day two of his second term at the Washington National Cathedral, where he and his wife, Melania, sat in the front row alongside Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance.
Bishop Budde was one of the speakers addressing the congregation, and she concluded her remarks with a direct appeal to the president.
Read Also:Â Full List Of Executive Orders Trump Signed On Day 1
She began: “Let me make one final plea, Mr President. Millions have put their trust in you.
“In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.
“There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in democratic, republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives.”
Bishop Budde then emphasized the contributions of asylum seekers, a group that President Trump has swiftly moved to target with stricter policies.
As she listed groups including “the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings” and those “who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals”, Mr Trump turned away and looked over his shoulder, before examining the booklet he was holding.
“They may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals,” she said. Mr Trump then looked down at the floor.
Bishop Budde continued: “I ask you to have mercy, Mr President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away.
“And that you help those who are fleeing war and persecution in their own lands, to find compassion and welcome here.
“Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land.”
It wasn’t just President Trump who appeared uncomfortable. When the LGBT+ community was mentioned, Vice President Vance raised his eyebrows and exchanged a brief glance with his wife, who kept her gaze fixed ahead.
He repeated this gesture after the bishop spoke about immigrants, then whispered to Mrs. Vance.
At another point during the sermon, President Trump turned to his VP, and the two shared a silent exchange of looks.
When asked about the sermon upon returning to the Oval Office, the president told reporters, “They could have done better.”
The bishop’s remarks followed President Trump’s signing of several executive orders at the end of his inauguration day, including one aimed at ending what he described as “wasteful” government programs promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion.
Other orders, such as a pledge to end birthright citizenship and a declaration of a national emergency on the Mexico border, were part of his broader crackdown on immigration.