Bishop Who Challenged Trump to Speak at Swedish Parliament Opening

Stockholm – Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde of Washington, who made international headlines with her homily during the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, will speak at the ceremonial opening of the Swedish parliament this September.

Budde, known for her outspoken appeal to President Trump to show compassion toward LGBTQ+ communities and refugees, drew both praise and criticism at the time. Trump himself responded harshly, labeling her “nasty,” “not compelling or smart,” and a “Radical Left hard line Trump hater”—a characterization Budde later firmly rejected.

“I don’t hate President Trump. I strive not to hate anyone,” said the 65-year-old bishop in an interview with Time magazine. “And I dare say that I am not of the ‘radical left’ either, whatever that means. That is not who I am.” She added that she would not apologize “for asking for mercy for others.”

Budde, who has Swedish ancestry, has accepted an invitation to attend the traditional church service at Stockholm Cathedral marking the start of the new parliamentary session. Her address will be delivered in the presence of Swedish lawmakers and the royal family.

Jonas Eek, dean of the Stockholm Cathedral Parish, defended the invitation, describing Budde’s message as rooted in Christian tradition rather than political confrontation.

“I did not perceive Bishop Budde’s sermon at the inauguration as polemic or provocative,” Eek said in a statement. “Instead, her message was classically Christian – that those with strength and power are called to show mercy to those who are vulnerable or powerless.”