Is Mariann Edgar Budde married? All we know about female bishop urging Trump to have mercy on immigrants and LGBT+ youth

Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, is a prominent religious leader who advocates for social justice issues, including immigration and LGBTQ+ rights. On January 21, she made headlines when she addressed President Donald Trump on the second day of his presidency, urging him to show compassion for vulnerable groups, including immigrants and LGBTQ+ youth. Budde is the first female bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.

Mariann Edgar Budde is married to Paul Budde, a professional musician. The couple has been together for several years and has two sons, Amos and Patrick Budde. Amos Budde works at a data science software company, and Patrick Budde is a musician.

Mariann Budde's Washington National Cathedral's leadership bio reads:

"When not working, you’ll often find her riding her bicycle, cooking dinner for friends or visiting family. Bishop Budde and her husband, Paul, have two adult sons, Amos and Patrick."

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What did Mariann Edgar Budde say to Donald Trump

Speaking to a congregation that included Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and their families, Budde urged Trump to exercise compassion and empathy for vulnerable communities. She said:

“In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now... There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families — some who fear for their lives"

Mariann Edgar Budde further spoke about immigrant rights,

"The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meatpacking plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals — they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues, gurdwara, and temples.”

After the mention of immigrants, JD Vance glanced at his wife Usha Vance with raised eyebrows, seemingly seeking her response, but she remained unmoved.

Budde continued her sermon, invoking religious teachings to underline her plea, adding:

“Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land.”

She concluded with a prayerful call for unity and humility. When asked by reporters what he thought of the service, Trump said, in part:

“I didn’t think it was a good service, no. They can do much better.”

On Monday, Donald Trump issued a few executive orders that have stirred up public opinion. Trump aims to change how the Constitution’s citizenship rules are interpreted, possibly limiting birthright citizenship. Refugee programs are to be put on hold. He declared a national emergency to send troops to the border, calling the presence of undocumented immigrants an 'invasion.'

Another order removed federal recognition of transgender, intersex, and nonbinary people, rolling back their legal protections across the government.