US bishops apologize for meeting with Trump at the White House

Bishops say they were 'used'

Two US Catholic bishops have expressed regret over their meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on October 22, after photos and videos appeared on social media showing them praying with him at the Resolute Desk. Many believers took this as a political statement, BBC News reports.

What happened at the meeting

Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines, Iowa, explained in a statement that the meeting was arranged by White House staff to discuss immigration, visas for foreign clergy, and 'the exploitation of vulnerable poor people.' According to him, the participants 'in no way intended to endorse any political party or candidate,' and he regrets having been 'less perceptive and more naive than those who used our meeting for partisan purposes.'

Milwaukee archbishop: the meeting was considered private

Archbishop of Milwaukee Jeffrey Grob said that after 90 minutes of talks with officials, the religious leaders were invited to the Oval Office to pray with Trump. He claimed he believed the meeting was private, not a 'political photo op,' and that none of the participants gave permission for the video or photos to be published. After the publication, he began receiving messages from parishioners concerned that he had 'involuntarily taken part in a political event less than two weeks before a nationwide election,' as well as from those who 'have been harmed by the president's policies.'

White House reaction and context

The video of the meeting was posted by Margo Martin, special assistant to the president for communications, who regularly shares behind-the-scenes footage. In response to a BBC inquiry, the White House did not address the substance of questions about the meeting: administration spokesperson Taylor Rogers stated only that 'there has never been a better president for America's Catholics than President Trump.'

Tension with the Vatican and ratings among Catholics

The incident unfolds against the backdrop of Trump's strained relations with Pope Leo XIV, an American by origin, amid the administration's hardline immigration policy. Nine days before the meeting, Bishop Brendan Cahill and Walter Kim, head of the National Association of Evangelicals, called for 'Christian compassion and wisdom in the immigration debate,' noting 'the sowing of fear, the separation of families, the denial of due process, and the demonization of neighbors.' The US Conference of Catholic Bishops also condemned the administration's plans to broadcast a military execution live, which were later abandoned.

Significance ahead of the election

The political cost of the conflict is visible in polls: according to Pew Research Center, approval of Trump's performance has declined among all major religious groups in the US, and in an October poll only 30% of American Catholics approved of his performance, versus 47% at the time of his return to the White House in 2025. In the November 3 midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress, 42% of Catholics prefer Democrats in House races versus 39% for Republicans. Meanwhile, in 2024 Trump, according to Pew, received the support of 55% of Catholic voters. Catholics also work in the administration — Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who have visited the Vatican — and Bishop Robert Barron of Minnesota and former Archbishop of New York Timothy Dolan are members of the President's Commission on Religious Liberty.

Image source, x.com/MargoMartin47