Inauguration Pastor Urges Trump to Show Mercy to Transgender Kids and Immigrants

In her sermon delivered Tuesday, the reverend who led the National Cathedral’s prayer service at Trump’s inauguration urged him to show mercy to transgender children as well as immigrant families.

Before making her appeal to Trump, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde told him, who was seated in the first row, that “millions of Americans” had “put their faith in you”.

I ask that you have mercy on the people who are afraid in our country. She said that there are children who are gay, lesbian, or transgender, and also families of all kinds, including independent, Democrat, or Republican.

She continued, “People who work in our hospitals, clean our offices, and pick our crops may not have proper documentation or be citizens, but they are not criminals. They also work in poultry farms, and meatpacking factories, and wash dishes in restaurants after we dine.

She said that these workers “pay taxes,” and that they are “faithful” members of U.S. synagogues, churches, mosques, and temples. She argued that their children “fear that their parents will be taken from them.”

She also called on Trump for him to help people who are fleeing persecution and war zones.

She said, “Find compassion.”

Later, when reporters asked the president what he thought about the service, he replied that he did not find it “too exciting.”

Trump continued, “They could have done much better.”

During the sermon, Trump sat alongside first lady Melania Trump, Vice President Vance, and second lady Usha Vance, with his children sitting near him.

The sermon was delivered the morning following President Trump’s signing of several executive orders. These included one that recognized only two genders, male and female, and another that restricted immigration to fulfill his campaign promise, which was to target immigrants, particularly those who had committed crimes within the U.S.

He signed an executive order to effectively halt refugee admissions in the U.S. for at least three months. He also signed an executive order to increase the detention capacity to accommodate migrants in the U.S. and said that he would stop the birthright citizenship of children born to parents who do not have legal status.