Archbishop Accuses White House of Political Stunt

The Archbishop of Milwaukee has called out the Trump administration for allegedly turning an Oval Office meeting, which included him and 11 other Catholic bishops, into a political event ahead of the midterm elections.

On October 25, Archbishop Jeffrey Grob issued a public apology on the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s website. He stated that the White House did not seek permission from attendees before sharing photos and videos from a private prayer session in the Oval Office. According to Grob, this meeting was the second organized by the Heritage Foundation, and they discussed topics significant to the Church, such as immigration enforcement, religious work visas, and human dignity.

Grob recounted that he and the other bishops had a 90-minute discussion with White House staff and policy advisors prior to entering the Oval Office, where they prayed with Trump.

“It didn’t take long after the meeting for the White House to release a video and photos of the prayer. I started receiving messages expressing concern that I might have accidentally taken part in a political event right before a national election. Some reached out feeling hurt by the impact of the president’s policies on their families,” Grob explained in his statement.

He emphasized that the group attended the meeting sincerely and should not have been “manipulated” into a photo op that had political implications. He also made it clear that his presence did not imply endorsement of Trump or his policies.

In response to Grob’s apology, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers commented on the meeting with the bishops, saying, “There has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump, and his strong record proves it.” Rogers listed several accomplishments attributed to Trump, including defending religious rights and advancing parental rights.

A representative from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) also clarified that the meeting was neither arranged by nor connected with the USCCB, reflecting the varying opinions within the organization regarding Trump’s policies. Bishop Robert Barron, for instance, has agreed to partake in Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission.