White House defends Trump after archbishop calls prayer moment 'manipulated' ahead of midterms

The White House on Monday defended President Donald Trump after Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob publicly apologized for participating in an Oval Office prayer with the president, accusing the administration of using the religious gathering for political purposes less than two weeks before the midterm elections.

Grob issued a statement Sunday titled "A Public Apology," alleging that the White House distributed photographs and video of the Thursday prayer without the consent of the 12 participating bishops. He accused the administration of manipulating a sacred moment. The archbishop said he had received messages from Catholics concerned that the prayer appeared to constitute a political endorsement. Grob acknowledged having reservations before attending and apologized for the distress his participation caused.

"I feel a heavy sadness, not only over the pain I caused, but also for the fact that something so sacred to a group of religious leaders, prayer to our Heavenly Father, would be manipulated in that way," he said. "We came in good faith to try to work for the betterment of our fellow human beings, to ease their suffering, to build up the common good, and to pray with a president, not to pose for a political photo opportunity to benefit the few."

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers defended Trump's record on religious liberty and Catholic priorities in a statement to Fox News Digital following the archbishop's public apology.

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"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," she said.

The meeting, which Grob said was arranged by the Heritage Foundation, was intended to address immigration enforcement, religious worker visas and other Catholic priorities. Following a 90-minute discussion with White House domestic policy staff and advisors, the bishops entered the Oval Office, where Trump presented commemorative tokens before they prayed together. Grob said the group was unaware that video was being recorded.

Des Moines Bishop William Joensen also criticized the gathering's subsequent publicity in a statement published Saturday, saying the bishops never intended to endorse a political candidate or party.

"None of us bishops were unaware that our meeting was on the cusp of a national election. Yet in no way did any of us intend by our involvement to endorse any political party or any individual candidate," he said. "That said, in retrospect, I would have done well to be more mindful of Jesus’ admonition: ‘Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves’ (Matthew 10:16). I wish I had been more shrewd and less simple, like those who exploited our meeting for partisan political purposes."

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Denver Archbishop James Golka, who led the prayer, discussed his participation in an interview with the Denver Catholic. Golka acknowledged concerns about the video's political implications but emphasized that praying for elected officials remains a longstanding Catholic practice.

"I wasn’t sure what to do. On one hand, it was a great opportunity to raise important issues for the Church’s benefit," he said. "On the other hand, I knew people might be upset. Though I originally thought it would be a private meeting, I knew that it could be shared and that some might use it for political purposes.

"But as I prayed about it, I thought that this is what Catholics do," he continued. "We pray for people. No matter whether we agree or disagree on anything, we always pray for our country and leaders."

The controversy comes as Catholic leaders continue to disagree with the Trump administration over some of its policies, particularly immigration. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops sued the administration in February 2025 over the suspension of refugee resettlement funding.

Other prominent Catholic leaders have encouraged continued engagement with the administration. In a May interview with Fox News Digital, Bishop Robert Barron, a member of Trump's Religious Liberty Commission, cautioned against demonizing the president despite disagreements over immigration and other policies.

"What I don't want from the church is a kind of demonization of the Trump administration," he said.

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The Archdiocese of Milwaukee declined to comment further on the matter when reached by Fox News Digital.