In brief
Archbishop Jeffrey Grob and Bishop William Joensen apologise for a 22‑October Oval Office gathering with President Trump, saying it was intended as a private prayer, not a campaign rally. Images released by White‑House aide Margo Martin forced the bishops to confront concerns from their congregations and political observers about the event’s timing before mid‑term elections. The bishops explained their focus was on immigration, clergy visas and protecting the poor, while warning against partisan exploitation of their meeting. The apology comes amid ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and the Catholic Church, and a Pew survey showing declining support for Trump among American Catholics. The bishops’ statements may influence Catholic voters as the November mid‑term races approach.
Two American Catholic bishops, Archbishop Jeffrey Grob of Milwaukee and Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines, say they regret a 22‑October Oval Office gathering with President Donald Trump, after photos released by White House aide Margo Martin suggested they had staged a political statement.
Grob, who had assumed the session was a private prayer, said the bishops were ushered into the Oval Office after 90 minutes of meetings with White‑House staff. He warned that the images had stirred concern among his parishioners about possible political ramifications a week before the mid‑term elections.
Joensen explained that the meeting, arranged by the Washington Faith Office, addressed immigration, visas for international clergy and “exploitation of vulnerable poor people.” He added that the bishops never intended to endorse any candidate or party and criticized “those who exploited the meeting for partisan purposes”.
The bishops’ statements come amid a tense relationship between the Trump administration and the Catholic Church. Pope Leo XIV has voiced opposition to Trump’s hard‑line immigration policy, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has repeatedly condemned the president’s stance on refugees and asylum seekers.
A Pew Research Center survey released earlier this week found that 30 % of U.S. Catholics approve of Trump’s job performance—down from 47 % when he first entered office in 2017. The same poll indicated 42 % of Catholics prefer Democratic candidates in their local House races, suggesting that the bishops’ regrets may resonate with voters ahead of the November mid‑term elections.
While the White House spokesperson, Taylor Rogers, lauded Trump as “the greatest president for Catholic Americans”, the bishops’ apology signals a growing divide within the church over the political use of its leaders.
