The Bishop of Washington has issued a response to Donald Trump’s five-word comment after she asked him to ‘have mercy’ on LGBTQ+ people and migrants.
President Trump certainly hasn’t wasted any time getting his feet under the table since returning to The White House on Monday (January 20).
Within just his first 24 hours in the Oval Office, Trump signed off a number of executive orders, including a policy stating there are ‘only two genders’ alongside many orders blocking migrants from being able to enter the US.
Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde asked the president to show ‘mercy’ to LGBTQ+ people and migrants during a service at the Washington National Cathedral following Trump’s inauguration.
Making ‘one final plea’ with the president, Right Rev. Budde said: “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.
“I the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and Independent families, some who fear for their lives.
Donald Trump has wasted no time signing off on multiple executive orders (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“And the people, the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labour in poultry farms and meat packing plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals – they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals.”
The bishop concluded her emotional speech by asking Trump once more to ‘have mercy on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away’ and for the president to ‘help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here’.
Well, Trump quickly responded to the personal address, dubbing it ‘not too exciting’ and that he ‘didn’t think it was a good service,’ before concluding: “They could do much better.”
Right Rev. Bubble has since responded to the comments made by President Trump in an interview with CNN.
She said: “[I was] reminding us all that the people that are frightened in our country, the two groups that I mentioned, are our fellow human beings, and that they have been portrayed all throughout the political campaign in the harshest of lights.
Right Rev. Budde issued a ‘plea’ to the president (CBS News)
“I wanted to counter, as gently as I could, with a reminder of their humanity and their place in our wider community.”
The bishop continued: “I was speaking to the president because I felt that he has this moment now where he feels charged and empowered to do what he feels called to do, and I wanted to say there is room for mercy. There is room for a broader compassion.
“We don’t need to portray with a broad cloth in the harshest of terms some of the most vulnerable people in our society, who are in fact our neighbors and our friends.”
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Topics: LGBTQ, Politics, Religion, Donald Trump, US News
The Bishop of Washington issued a ‘plea’ to Donald Trump to show ‘mercy’ to LGBTQ+ people and migrants.
Within just 24 hours into his presidency as the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump wasted no time signing off on multiple executive orders, including a policy stating there are ‘only two genders’ alongside many orders blocking migrants from being able to enter – and remain in – the country.
During a service held on January 21 at the Washington National Cathedral following Trump’s inauguration, Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde asked the new president to show ‘mercy’ to LGBTQ+ people and migrants.
The bishop’s ‘plea’
Making ‘one final plea,’ Right Rev. Budde said: “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.
“I the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and Independent families, some who fear for their lives.
“And the people, the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labour in poultry farms and meat packing plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals – they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals.”
Trump’s response
Budde resolved by asking Trump once more to ‘have mercy on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away’ and for the president to ‘help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here’.
After the service, Trump branded it ‘not too exciting’ and he ‘didn’t think it was a good service,’ concluding: “They could do much better.”
Donald Trump wasted no time signing off on multiple executive ordesr (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The executive orders
Within the 25 executive orders listed on the White House website during the first 24 hours of Trump’s inauguration, the president signed off on an official policy ‘restoring biological truth to the federal government’
The policy recognizes ‘two sexes, male and female’ and states them as not being ‘changeable’ but ‘grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality’. It goes on to state federal agents are ordered to ‘enforce laws governing sex-based rights, protections, opportunities, and accommodations to protect men and women as biologically distinct sexes’, removing ‘all statements, policies, regulations, forms, communications, or other internal and external messages that promote or otherwise inculcate gender ideology, and shall cease issuing such statements, policies, regulations, forms, communications or other messages’.
Right Rev. Budde issued a ‘plea’ to the president (CBS News)
Multiple other executive orders address how the country treats migrants and what it means to qualify as an American citizen, orders limiting birthright citizenship and ‘securing’ borders. It also includes ‘protecting American people’ against ‘millions of illegal aliens’ crossing the borders, alongside ‘protecting the US from foreign terrorists’ and ‘protecting the territorial integrity’ of the US.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the LGBT national hotline at 888-843-4564, available Monday to Friday 4pm-12am ET and 12pm-5pm ET on Saturdays.
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A body language expert has shared her thoughts on how Donald Trump and JD Vance really felt when bishop Mariann Budde asked them to ‘have mercy’ on members of the LGBTQ+ community as he regains power of the country.
The Right Rev Mariann Budde made her comments at a church service held Tuesday January 21, the day after Trump was sworn in on January 20, just a day after he signed an order officially declaring there are only two sexes.
The church service is a traditional part of inauguration day in the United States, and Trump was joined by his vice president, Vance, as Budde gave her sermon at St. John’s Church in Washington, DC.
Budde aimed her comments towards the new leaders of the United States as she 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 now. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives.”
Trump and Vance seemed to give little away as they listened to Budde, but body language expert Judi James has shared her insights after watching the scene and revealed the new president did in fact ‘leak out’ some feelings.
Trump attended the church service before his inauguration (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Speaking to The Mirror, she said: “Trump’s first roasting came early and from the unexpected source of a pulpit. As the bishop begged for mercy for immigrants, transgender and gay children etc there was a bristling among Trump’s group as a whole.
“Trump managed something close to a poker face but he managed to leak out feelings of impatience and brewing irritation via some of his subtler non-verbal signals.”
According to James, Trump begins by ‘implying he is going to keep his thoughts to himself via a cut-off gesture as he glances downward’.
She continued: “When the bishop talks about ‘people who pick crops and labour in poultry farms’ he taps his order of service in a metronomic ritual of impatience. His mouth falls slightly open and then his jaw slews to the right and he turns his torso to look to the side in the most emphatic reaction before looking down at his program again.”
Trump and Vance kept their faces neutral at the service (C-Span)
When it comes to Vance, James claimed the vice president was ‘more open’ in his response to Budde.
She said: “When the children are mentioned, he glances at his wife in a more obvious gesture of rejection and his eyes come back to the front with a partial, wry smile. He turns to his wife twice then raises his brows in an expression of mock surprise before studying his program. At one point he tries to catch Trump’s eye in a tie-sign signal that suggests a desire to show unity and support.”
Budde has received a lot of praise for her decision to raise her concerns with Trump and Vance directly, with viewers online celebrating her ‘courage’.
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Kid Rock has made a swipe at Michelle Obama after it was confirmed that she isn’t attending Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Following his historic win in November’s election, Trump will be sworn into office once more on Monday (January 20) — his second time becoming president.
The businessman-turned-congressman will reportedly have a host of famous faces perform at the event, including Carrie Underwood, the Village People, and Kid Rock.
Kid Rock will perform at Donald Trump’s inauguration (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The Village People, best known for their hit song ‘Y.M.C.A.’ that Trump often plays at his rallies, confirmed earlier this week that they’d be performing.
“We are announcing today that VILLAGE PEOPLE have accepted an invitation from President Elect Trump’s campaign to participate in inaugural activities, including at least one event with President Elect Trump,” the band penned in a Facebook post.
“We know this wont make some of you happy to hear however we believe that music is to be performed without regard to politics.
“Our song Y.M.C.A. is a global anthem that hopefully helps bring the country together after a tumultuous and divided campaign where our preferred candidate lost.”
They added that they want to ‘bring the country together with music‘.
Also speaking ahead of his scheduled performance, Kid Rock featured on Jesse Watters Primetime on Thursday (January 16), where he discussed the news that Michelle Obama will not be attending Trump’s inauguration.
“She seems a little angry,” the singer said of the former first lady’s apparent decision not to go.
The five-time Grammy nominee went on to point out that he performed at the Youth Inaugural Ball hours after former President Barack Obama was first sworn into office in 2009, despite not having voted him.
“I would kindly remind her that years back when Obama was first elected, I did not vote for him,” Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert James Ritchie, said.
“But they asked me to play the inauguration. And I played it and I went.”
Former first lady Michelle Obama won’t be there to see Trump sworn into office (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“I had a good time,” the singer went on. “I went out of respect for the president so I would kindly remind Michelle about that.”
Michelle is thought to be the only former first ladies who will not be in attendance on Monday.
As per NBC News, Joe and Jill Biden, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and George W. and Laura Bush are expected to be there.
A handful of foreign leaders have also reportedly been invited.
UNILAD have approached Michelle’s reps in light of Kid Rock’s remarks.
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A lip reader has shared his thoughts on a viral video of Barron Trump and Joe Biden after viewers were left desperate to know what the new president’s son said.
The exchange between Barron and Biden took place at the inauguration of Donald Trump yesterday (January 20), when he was officially sworn in as the 47th President of the United States.
The event was attended by former presidents including George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, as well as Biden and multiple members of Trump’s family, which is how Biden and Barron ended up greeting each other at one point during the video.
In one angle of the scene which has since gone viral, Biden can be seen leaning in to shake Barron’s hand while speaking to him. The younger Trump then appears to lean towards the outgoing president and make a comment that left viewers absolutely hooked, with people desperate for insight into what he said.
“Barron wiped that smile from Biden’s face. What do you think he said?” one Twitter user wrote as they shared the video.
Another responded: “I would really love to know.”
Barron Trump appeared to lean in to speak to Joe Biden in the clip (X/@DefiantLs)
After taking a look at the viral clip, lip reader Jeremy Freeman shared his thoughts on what Biden and Barron could have said to one another.
Freeman told LADbible that as Biden shook Barron’s hand, he told him: “It’s good to see you man.”
According to Freeman, Barron then responded: “Exactly.”
Without audio it’s hard to know for certain what was said during the exchange, but a new angle of the moment has now shed more light on what went down.
In the more recently emerged footage, it becomes apparent that after shaking Biden’s hand, Barron moved on to shaking the hand of Kamala Harris – it’s just the angle of the initial video that makes him look like he was leaning closely to Biden.
After viewers saw the new angle, Barron received praise for being a ‘gentleman’ and showing ‘class’ by shaking Harris’ hand after she went up against his dad in the race for president.
“That’s a bit of ‘class’ right there by Baron Trump,” one viewer wrote, as another added: “Direct eye contact and a handshake. A respectful thing. Young men don’t do this very often nowadays.”
Barron, an 18-year-old New York University student, was joined at the inauguration by his mother, Melania Trump, as well as his brothers and sisters.
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