A member of the clergy begged Donald Trump to have mercy on LGBTQ+ people and immigrants at a prayer service for his inauguration earlier today, while Trump was sitting in the first pew, surrounded by his family and J.D. Vance and his family.Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde spoke at the National Cathedrals prayer service this morning and asked him to find compassion. Related Who owns the truth? GLAADs Sarah Kate Ellis on resisting the second Trump administration The battle ahead extends far beyond Washington. Who owns the media owns politics, Ellis said. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now, Budde said. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today She also brought up immigrants, saying that theyre not rapists but instead hard workers who do much of the labor that Americans depend on.I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our community whose children fear that their parents will be taken away and that you help those that are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands, to find compassion and welcome here. Wow. Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde fearlessly calls out Trump and Vance to their faces. This is heroic.(posting in 3 parts due to Bluesky's 1 minute limit)[image or embed] MeidasTouch (@meidastouch.com) January 21, 2025 at 8:02 PM Part 2/3[image or embed] MeidasTouch (@meidastouch.com) January 21, 2025 at 8:03 PMPart 3/3[image or embed] MeidasTouch (@meidastouch.com) January 21, 2025 at 8:04 PMTrump later told the press that he didnt like the service, saying that it was not too exciting, according to The Hill.They could do much better, he said.Trump has already signed a myriad of anti-trans and anti-immigrant executive orders. His attacks on these two groups were a mainstay of his campaign rhetoric. His campaign spent over $215 million on anti-trans ads, and he demonized immigrants regularly, even accusing them of eating peoples cats and dogs.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.