White House Prayer Session Draws Regret From Bishops Grob and Joensen

Thirty percent of US Catholics approved of Donald Trump's job performance in a Pew Research Center survey this month, down from 47% when he returned to the White House in 2025. Pew found opinions of Trump's performance have slipped among all major religious groups.

The survey was released after two Catholic bishops said they regretted a 22 October meeting at the White House. Photos and video from that gathering show bishops standing around Trump at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.

Archbishop Jeffrey Grob of Milwaukee said he believed the meeting was private and not "a political photo opportunity." He said that after 90 minutes of meetings with officials, the religious leaders were ushered into the Oval Office to pray with Trump.

Grob wrote that he began receiving messages of serious concern over the possibility that he had inadvertently participated in a political event less than two weeks before a national election. He said he also heard from some who felt wounded by ways they or their family had been harmed by the president's policies. Grob said none of the participants gave permission for public distribution or posting of video or photos of the event.

Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines, Iowa, said the meeting was arranged by officials with the White House Faith Office to discuss immigration, visas for international clergy, and the exploitation of vulnerable poor persons. "In no way did any of us intend by our involvement to endorse any political party or any individual candidate," Joensen said. He added, "I wish I had been more shrewd and less simple, like those who exploited our meeting for partisan political purposes."

A video of the meeting was released by Margo Martin, a special assistant to the president and communications adviser. The White House did not directly address questions about the meeting or the bishops' comments. White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement, "There has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump, and his strong record proves it."

In the Pew survey, 42% of Catholics said they preferred the Democrats running in their local House of Representatives races, while 39% favored Republicans. The 3 November midterm elections will decide control of Congress. During his second term, Trump has had a tense relationship with Pope Leo, and has moved aggressively to remove people believed to be in the US illegally.

Nine days before the Oval Office meeting, Bishop Brendon Cahill and Walter Kim, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, issued a statement urging Christian compassion and wisdom in the immigration debate. They said the immigration clampdown had led to the sowing of fear, the fracturing of families, the deprivation of due process, and the vilification of neighbors.