White House defends Trump after archbishop calls prayer moment 'manipulated' ahead of midterms
White House defends Trump after archbishop calls prayer moment 'manipulated' ahead of midterms
The White House on Monday defended President Donald Trump after Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob publicly apologized for participating in an with the president, accusing the administration of using the religious gathering for political purposes less than two weeks before the midterm elections.
Grob issued a statement Sunday titled "A Public Apology," alleging that the White House distributed photographs and video of the Thursday prayer without the consent of the 12 participating bishops. He accused the administration of manipulating a sacred moment. The archbishop said he had received messages from Catholics concerned that the prayer appeared to constitute a political endorsement. Grob acknowledged having reservations before attending and apologized for the distress his participation caused.
"I feel a heavy sadness, not only over the pain I caused, but also for the fact that something so sacred to a group of religious leaders, prayer to our Heavenly Father, would be manipulated in that way," he said. "We came in good faith to try to work for the betterment of our fellow human beings, to ease their suffering, to build up the common good, and to pray with a president, not to pose for a political photo opportunity to benefit the few."
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers defended Trump's record on religious liberty and Catholic priorities in a statement to following the archbishop's public apology.
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"There has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump, and his strong record proves it: he stopped the weaponization of the federal government against Christians, proudly defended and expanded our religious rights, pardoned pro-life activists, stopped the chemical mutilation of our nations children, and protected parents rights," she said.
The meeting, which Grob said was arranged by the Heritage Foundation, was intended to address immigration enforcement, and other Catholic priorities. Following a 90-minute discussion with White House domestic policy staff and advisors, the bishops entered the Oval Office, where Trump presented commemorative tokens before they prayed together. Grob said the group was unaware that video was being recorded.
Des Moines Bishop William Joensen also criticized the gathering's subsequent publicity in a statement published Saturday, saying the bishops never intended to endorse a political candidate or party.
"None of us bishops were unaware that our meeting was on the cusp of a national election. Yet in no way did any of us intend by our involvement to endorse any political party or any individual candidate," he said. "That said, in retrospect, I would have done well to be more mindful of Jesus admonition: Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves (Matthew 10:16). I wish I had been more shrewd and less simple, like those who exploited our meeting for partisan political purposes."
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Denver Archbishop James Golka, who led the prayer, discussed his participation in an
