Catholic bishops regret Oval Office prayer meeting, say White House exploited it politically
Two US Catholic bishops publicly expressed regret after a 22 October Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump, during which they prayed with him and images were later posted by the White House. Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob said the meeting was meant to be private and that the bishops did not consent to the video's release, while Des Moines Bishop William Joensen said he wished he had been "more shrewd" toward those who exploited the meeting for partisan purposes. The White House defended Trump's record for Catholic Americans. The episode unfolded less than two weeks before the 3 November midterm elections.
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Catholic leaders distance themselves from Trump after Oval Office prayer video
Catholic leaders are distancing themselves from President Trump after the White House shared a video of an Oval Office prayer meeting. Catholic bishops apologized for what they described as an 'exploited' meeting, saying the gathering was not intended to be political. The White House defended the president's record and named 12 bishops who participated in the prayer. The incident highlights tensions between the Trump administration and Catholic leadership over the political use of religious imagery.
Read sourceTrump Accused of Manipulating Catholic Bishops for Political Gain
Multiple news outlets report that Catholic bishops have apologized and distanced themselves from President Trump after a video surfaced showing them praying over him in the Oval Office. The Financial Times reports that Trump is accused of 'manipulating' the bishops for political gain. The BBC says the bishops apologized for an 'exploited' meeting. Politico reports that Catholic leaders are distancing themselves from Trump following the Oval Office prayer video. CNN reports that the bishops apologized after the video showed them praying over Trump. The New York Times reports that Catholic leaders say the meeting was not intended to be political after the White House shared the video. The incident has sparked controversy over the politicization of religious leaders.
Read sourceCatholic bishops regret White House meeting with Trump after prayer images released
Two US Catholic bishops have expressed regret over an Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump after images of them praying with him were publicly released. Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob said he believed the 22 October meeting was private and not a political photo opportunity, and that he received concerned messages from congregants less than two weeks before a national election. Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines said the meeting, arranged by the White House Faith Office, covered immigration, clergy visas and exploitation of vulnerable people, and that participants did not intend to endorse any party or candidate. He said he wished he had been more shrewd toward those who exploited the meeting for partisan purposes. The White House did not directly address the meeting, with spokeswoman Taylor Rogers praising Trump's record for Catholic Americans. Pew polling cited shows Catholic approval of Trump at 30%, down from 47% in 2025, ahead of 3 November midterms.
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Catholic bishops apologize for Trump meeting, alleging White House exploitation
Catholic bishops have apologized for a meeting with President Trump after the White House posted a video of the event, with some bishops saying the encounter was exploited for political purposes. The BBC reported that bishops apologized for the 'exploited' meeting, while The Washington Post said the bishops maintained the meeting was not intended to be political. The Financial Times reported that Trump was accused of 'manipulating' Catholic bishops for political gain. The Milwaukee Archbishop apologized for the White House visit, stating that permission for posting the video was 'not given by the bishops.' A Des Moines bishop said the White House exploited a Trump prayer photo op, and two of twelve bishops have now expressed regret.
Read sourceCatholic Bishops Accuse Trump of Exploiting White House Prayer Photo Op
Two Catholic bishops publicly expressed regret after a White House meeting with President Trump, saying the administration exploited their private prayer session for political purposes without consent. Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob stated in a "Public Apology" that the bishops were told the meeting would be a private discussion and were directed to stand behind Trump and pray, after which photos and an undisclosed video were taken and later posted by the White House. Grob said the meeting was not an endorsement of Trump, his policies, or his party, and that he received concerned messages about inadvertently participating in a political event less than two weeks before a national election. Iowa Bishop William Joensen similarly wished he had been "more shrewd and less simple" about those who exploited the meeting for partisan purposes. The meeting was organized by the Heritage Foundation.
Read sourceCatholic bishops accuse Trump White House of exploiting prayer meeting for campaign photo op
Catholic bishops have accused the Trump White House of turning a prayer meeting into a campaign photo opportunity, according to multiple reports. The Guardian reported that bishops accused the administration of exploiting the session, while the BBC said bishops apologized for the 'exploited' Trump meeting. The Milwaukee archbishop who prayed with Trump apologized and said the bishops were 'manipulated,' according to the National Catholic Reporter. The New York Times reported that Catholic leaders said the meeting wasn't intended to be political after the White House shared a video. CBS News reported that bishops lamented the White House meeting that produced a photo with Trump, saying the session was 'manipulated' and 'exploited.'
Read sourceCatholic bishops regret White House prayer photo with Trump, say it was used politically
Catholic bishops have expressed regret over a White House prayer photo with President Trump, saying the image was used politically. The Milwaukee archbishop who participated in the prayer apologized, stating that the bishops were 'manipulated.' A Des Moines bishop said the White House 'exploited' the visit for politics. The Catholic leaders clarified that their meeting with Trump was not intended to be political. The event occurred days before the midterm elections, according to Religion News Service. The bishops' statements, reported by AP, National Catholic Reporter, The New York Times, and The Des Moines Register, reflect concerns that their religious gesture was co-opted for partisan purposes.