Donald Trump sat stony-faced as a bishop told him to “have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now” at an interfaith prayer service.
The US president began day two of his second term with the event at the Washington National Cathedral, where he and wife Melania sat in the front row alongside vice president JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance.
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde was among the speakers who addressed the congregation – and she finished her address with a direct appeal to the returning president.
She began: “Let me make one final plea, Mr President. Millions have put their trust in you.
“In the name of our god, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.
“There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in democratic, republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives.”
Bishop Budde then highlighted the contributions of asylum seekers – a group Mr Trump has wasted no time in cracking down on.
As she listed groups including “the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings” and those “who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals”, Mr Trump turned away and looked over his shoulder, before examining the booklet he was holding. READ MORE
