Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, is a prominent religious leader who advocates for social justice issues, including immigration and LGBTQ+ rights.

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde called on President Trump to have mercy on transgender children and immigrant families at a National Cathedral prayer service for the inauguration Tuesday, which went viral and prompted the president to call her “nasty in tone” and “not compelling or smart.

The Episcopal bishop of Washington spoke with NPR to discuss her sermon addressing President Trump and why she asked him to have mercy.

The Virginia Theological Seminary released a statement Friday in support of alumna Bishop Mariann Budde after she received conservative pushback for comments this week during the National Cathedral’s inaugural prayer service for President Trump.

President Donald Trump Wednesday demanded an apology from the Episcopal bishop who criticized his hardline policies on immigration and LGBTQ rights at the National Prayer Service on his first full day back in the White House.

The Right Rev. Mariann Budde, Episcopal bishop of the Diocese of Washington, made headlines this week after she angered President Donald Trump with her sermon during an inaugural prayer service

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde drew President Trump’s ire Wednesday morning after she used a National Catheral prayer service to issue a call for mercy against members of the LGBTQ and immigrant communities.

The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, whose appeal to President Trump for mercy in her sermon at a national prayer service caused a stir, said she will not apologize despite GOP backlash.

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde said this week she has had “people wish me dead” after she called on President Trump to “have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now” during an inaugural prayer service at the National Cathedral.