At inaugural prayer service, bishop calls on Trump to ‘have mercy’ on marginalized people

Jan. 21 (UPI) — President Donald Trump attended the inaugural prayer service Tuesday at Washington National Cathedral, where a sermon on unity called out the president to “have mercy” on LGBTQ+ people and migrants.

Speaking directly to Trump — who attended “A Service of Prayer for the Nation” with first lady Melania Trump and his family — the Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde said, “Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you, and as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God.”

“In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy on the people in our country who are scared. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic and Republican and Independent families, some who fear for their lives,” the Episcopal bishop added.

Vice President JD Vance, who also attended the service with the second lady, appeared to be irritated and leaned toward his wife, Usha, several times as the sermon turned political. Trump, who during his inauguration address Monday said there are “two genders, male and female,” maintained a serious expression as he continued to listen.

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde: “The vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors…may I ask you to have mercy Mr. President on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away.” pic.twitter.com/iXaHJrPsof— CSPAN (@cspan) January 21, 2025

“And the people — the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meat packing plants, who wash the dishes at their restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals, they — they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors,” Budde said.

“May I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away.”

Trump signed an executive order Monday in the Oval Office to eliminate birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants as he declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border and vowed mass deportations of criminal illegal immigrants.

During her sermon, Budde also called on Trump to help people fleeing war zones and persecution.

“Not everyone’s prayers will be answered in the way we would like. But for some, the loss of their hopes and dreams will be far more than political,” Budde said, adding that “all the faiths represented here affirm the birthright of all people as children of our one God.”

Upon returning to the White House after Tuesday’s service, Trump responded to reporters’ questions.

“Not too exciting, was it? I didn’t think it was a good service, no. Thank you very much,” Trump said. “They can do, they can do much better.”