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Former President Donald Trump may have spent his early days in office extending leniency to the violent rioters who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, but he has shown little inclination toward offering the same compassion to marginalized groups he plans to scapegoat as president.
On Tuesday night, Trump lashed out on Truth Social, demanding an apology from Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde and the Washington National Cathedral. Earlier that day, during a service marking Trump’s inauguration, Budde had implored him to “have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now” and to “honor the dignity of every human being.”
“The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hardline Trump hater,” Trump wrote in his post. “She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart. She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people. Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA.” He dismissed the service as “very boring and uninspiring,” adding, “She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!”
Trump’s reaction is characteristic of someone accustomed to surrounding himself with yes-men and sycophants, who views reflection and humility as weaknesses. Budde’s remarks, while gentle, highlighted the fears facing LGBTQ Americans, undocumented immigrants, and their families under his renewed administration. Her plea was simple: for Trump to lead with mercy.
“I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear their parents will be taken away, and to help those fleeing war zones and persecution find compassion and welcome here,” Budde said during the service. “Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land.”
In an interview with CNN, Budde explained her motivation. “I felt compelled to intercede for my fellow human beings who have been portrayed in the harshest of lights throughout the political campaign,” she told anchor Erin Burnett. “I wanted to counter, as gently as I could, with a reminder of their humanity and their place in our wider community. There is room for mercy and broader compassion.”
Budde’s appeal for empathy appears to have struck a nerve among Trump’s supporters. Representative Mike Collins (R-Ga.) went as far as suggesting that Budde—a U.S. citizen—be added to Trump’s “deportation list.”
In an era where divisive rhetoric often drowns out calls for unity, Budde’s words stand as a quiet reminder of the values that can hold communities together: compassion, mercy, and the recognition of shared humanity.
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