'Have Mercy': Donald Trump Gives Female Bishop the 'Death Stare' After She Defends Immigrants and Calls Out President Following Controversial Executive Orders
Donald Trump 'glared' at Bishop Mariann Budde during her sermon on immigrants and the LGBTQ community.
Jan. 21 2025, Published 3:13 p.m. ET
Donald Trump had no choice but to sit in silence as he was scolded by a leader of the Episcopal church.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the president gave Bishop Mariann Budde a "death stare" from the crowd as she rebuked his policies during a passionate sermon.
Budde called on citizens to show "mercy" to immigrants and the transgender community, a stark contrast to action Trump, 78, has vowed to take during his second administration.
Bishop Budde implored Trump to have empathy for citizens who 'fear for their lives' due to his policies.
On his first full day as president, Trump and First Lady Melania attended the post-inaugural prayer service at Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.
The 78-year-old looked irked as Bishop Budde addressed key policies of his administration, including mass deportations and proclaiming there were only "two genders."
From the pulpit, Budde told Trump: "I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country that are scared now.
"There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and Independent families, some who fear for their lives."
Budde asked Trump to 'have mercy' on the 'vast majority of immigrants are not criminals.'
The Bishop then called on the Republican president to also "have mercy" on immigrants.
She continued: "The people who pick our crops, and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meat packing plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants, and work the night shifts in hospitals, they might not be citizens or have the proper documentation."
Trump appeared uncomfortable and annoyed by Budde's words, breaking his intense stare to glance around the room before staring down at his pamphlet.
Trump looked uncomfortable and annoyed with Budde's plea.
Budde continued, "The vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. I ask you to have mercy Mr. President on those in communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away," Vice President J.D. Vance shot Trump a knowing look, though the president was not paying attention.
Meanwhile, Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump and daughter Tiffany, who were both seated in the row behind him, squirmed uncomfortably in their seats as they occasionally looked in the president's direction.
After Budde concluded her sermon, Trump turned to Vance and muttered something before looking back down at the papers in his hand.
The president glared at Budde as she concluded her heartfelt sermon.
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Online social media users reacted to the silent exchange between Trump and Budde.
One X user wrote: "They immediately looked uncomfortable because they know deep down what they are doing is wrong and just hateful."
Another echoed: "She had them all looking so uncomfortable," and a person said, "Look at those death stares!"
A third commented: "This is so heartbreaking…we shouldn’t have to beg politicians to have human decency."
As RadarOnline.com reported, Trump has long campaigned on mass deportations and repeated his vow to rid the country of undocumented citizens during his inauguration address.
Trump vowed he would enact mass deportation raids across major U.S. cities within hours of taking office on January 20, in addition to a series of executive orders aimed at tightening border security.
