The Episcopal bishop who became a national lightning rod after confronting President Donald Trump from the pulpit is preparing to leave ministry. She says America’s political climate is part of the reason she stayed longer than originally planned.
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington who publicly challenged Trump following his 2025 inauguration, is stepping down after 17 years leading the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.
According to Fox News, Budde initially planned to serve for 15 years. But as political tensions intensified across the country, she extended her tenure by another two years because she felt she “needed to stay.”
Now, as her time in ministry comes to a close, Budde is once again making her concerns about the nation’s direction known.
“The country has an opportunity to make a course correction and to send a pretty strong signal, and I pray that we do because it’s been devastating,” Budde said, according to Fox News.
Budde pointed to job losses, budget cuts and immigration policies that she believes have negatively affected people within her congregations.
Of course, this is hardly Budde’s first time stepping directly into America’s political firestorm.
As Charisma previously reported, Budde became a household name following the January 2025 National Prayer Service at Washington National Cathedral, where she used her sermon to make a direct appeal to Trump, who was seated in the congregation.
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“In the Name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now,” Budde told the president.
She specifically referenced gay, lesbian and transgender children, along with immigrants living in the United States without legal documentation.
The moment immediately erupted into controversy.
Trump blasted Budde afterward as a “Radical Left hard line Trump hater” and called for an apology. Budde, meanwhile, doubled down on her message during subsequent media appearances, turning what could have been a fleeting inauguration-week controversy into a much larger debate about Christianity, politics and the proper role of the pulpit.
And the “Budde moment” didn’t simply fade away.
As Charisma reported in September, Virginia Theological Seminary commemorated the controversial moment with a sculpture. It promoted “Have Mercy: Following Jesus in Politically Perilous Times,” a collection of essays inspired by Budde’s sermon and its aftermath.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the newly released book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected]. Learn more about Abby at abbytrivett.com.
