White House Defends Trump Amid Controversy Over Oval Office Prayer

The White House on Monday defended President Donald Trump's record on religious liberty following accusations from Catholic bishops that the administration exploited a prayer meeting for political purposes. The controversy centers on a prayer session held in the Oval Office shortly before the midterm elections.

Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob issued a public apology Sunday, stating that the White House distributed photographs and video of the prayer without the consent of the 12 participating bishops. Grob accused the administration of manipulating a sacred moment, saying he had received messages from Catholics concerned that the prayer appeared to constitute a political endorsement. He expressed sadness that the gathering was used "to benefit the few" rather than for its intended purpose of working for the betterment of humanity.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers countered by highlighting Trump's actions, stating, "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 nation’s children, and protected parents’ rights."

The meeting, arranged by the Heritage Foundation, was intended to discuss immigration enforcement, religious worker visas, and other Catholic priorities. According to Grob, the bishops were unaware that video was being recorded during the prayer with President Trump, who presented commemorative tokens.

Des Moines Bishop William Joensen also criticized the subsequent publicity, emphasizing that the bishops did not intend to endorse any political candidate or party. He expressed regret for not being "shrewd as serpents and simple as doves," referencing a biblical passage, and for allowing the meeting to be exploited for partisan purposes.

Denver Archbishop James Golka, who led the prayer, acknowledged concerns about the video's political implications but defended the practice of praying for elected officials as a longstanding Catholic tradition. He stated that while he initially believed the meeting would be private, he understood it could be shared and potentially used for political gain. However, he concluded, "this is what Catholics do. We pray for people. No matter whether we agree or disagree on anything, we always pray for our country and leaders."

The incident occurs amid ongoing disagreements between Catholic leaders and the Trump administration on various policies, particularly immigration. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops had previously sued the administration over the suspension of refugee resettlement funding.

However, some prominent Catholic figures, such as Bishop Robert Barron, a member of Trump's Religious Liberty Commission, have encouraged continued engagement with the administration, cautioning against its "demonization."