Donald Trump’s vitriolic rant against Bishop Mariann Budde for merely imploring him to show mercy to children of undocumented immigrants is a staggering low—one that obliterates even the pretense of civility. Rather than respond with empathy or even basic courtesy, he resorted to mockery, calling her a “so-called Bishop” and demanding an apology for her measured plea. This outburst is particularly chilling because it targets a religious leader whose offense was reminding the president that frightened kids deserve compassion, not harassment and nightmarish uncertainty.
For Trump to label that gentle request “nasty” and “ungracious” reveals the depth of his obsession with conflict, an instinct that disregards every norm of decency. His allies only exacerbated the ugliness, calling for Budde’s deportation—an absurd and spiteful demand against someone who dared to elevate the humanity of immigrants over the whims of raw political power. In attacking a sermon championing mercy, Trump demonstrated an astonishing willingness to tear down basic moral principles whenever they fail to flatter his image.
Ultimately, his tirade says more about his own insecurities than it does about the bishop or her congregation. By trashing a plea for empathy, Trump discards the notion that leaders should soothe public fears rather than exploit them. He highlights a worldview in which any call for kindness is met with personal attacks and scorn. It is a relentless kind of cruelty aimed not just at the vulnerable, but at anyone courageous enough to defend them.