Liberals have been accused of "weaponizing" the Justice Department, and now White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt says they've "weaponized the pulpit," as well.
Leavitt appeared Wednesday on Fox News, where she told host Martha MacCallum that the Episcopal bishop who begged Trump to "have mercy" on LGBT people and poor immigrants, "spewed lies."
Trump and his family attended the presidential service at Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday, where they were forced to listen to some opposing viewpoints from Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde.
She addressed Trump directly, saying, “The vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away, and that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here.”
Leavitt said she was "mortified" by the bishop's comments.
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"It was supposed to be a unifying and bipartisan church service in the beautiful National Cathedral here in Washington, D.C.," Leavitt said. "And I was there with President Trump, and everybody there was shocked and mortified by the disturbing comments from this bishop who chose to weaponize the pulpit. She had an opportunity to pray over the president and the vice president, and their families who were sitting in the first pews. And she spoke about truth, which was very ironic, because words later, she spewed lies, that President Trump called immigrants criminals — that's not true! He calls illegal immigrants criminals because they are criminals — by definition, if you break our nation's laws, you are a criminal."
Leavitt continued, "The comments by that bishop yesterday were egregious and she should apologize to President Trump for the lies that she told. It's despicable."
Trump also demanded an apology, posting on social media, "The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater. She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way," the President said. "She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart. She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people."
Trump concluded, "Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA. Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!"
Watch the clip below or at this link.