In an interview late Wednesday, Bishop Marian-Edgar Boudet defended his recent plea for mercy against President Trump, which sparked demands for an apology.
“We're at a particularly challenging time right now when it comes to conversations around immigrant populations,” said Budde, spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. told MSNBC Rachel Maddow. “And that was the reason for the tone I just took. But in another context it could have been a completely different tone.”
At the inaugural prayer service at the National Cathedral on Tuesday, Budde called on President Trump to “have mercy on the people of our country who are frightened.”
“We have gay, lesbian, transgender children, Democrats, Republicans, independent families, some of whom are fearing for their lives,” Budde added.
“It wasn't very exciting,” President Trump said after the service.
The president criticized Budde the next morning and demanded an apology.
“The so-called bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Meeting on Tuesday morning was a radical left-wing hardliner who hated Trump. She brought her church into politics in a very disrespectful way. She had a bad tone; It wasn’t convincing or smart,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Budde told Maddow on Wednesday: “As you have heard, I would implore President Trump to broaden his characterization of the people who are scared right now and who are at risk of losing everything.” .
She also said, “I wanted to recognize the president that he holds the highest office in this country and that millions of people have entrusted him with this power.”
Republican Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., said after the service that Budde “should be added to the deportation list.”
The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment on Budde's recent comments.
