Two Catholic bishops regret White House release of Oval Office prayer

Video was posted less than two weeks before November 3 midterms

Archbishop Jeffrey Grob of Milwaukee and Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines said they regretted bowing their heads with Donald Trump during a private Oval Office prayer on October 22, 2026. In separate statements of regret issued over the weekend, Grob and Joensen accused the White House of turning the private prayer into a campaign photo opportunity.

The two Catholic bishops were among 12 bishops who met administration officials that day. The White House quickly posted video and photos of the prayer on social media, captioned as Catholic archbishops and bishops praying with the US president. The release came less than two weeks before the November 3 midterm elections.

Grob’s statement was headlined “A Public Apology.” He said he felt “a heavy sadness” over the pain the images had caused and that he had heard from people alarmed that he had unwittingly joined a political event on the eve of a national vote. He said others were hurt because of the effect of Trump’s policies on their families. “We should never have been put in that position by the White House,” Grob wrote, adding that he had harbored reservations and “wish I had heeded them.”

Joensen wrote that “many things tied to this present Administration” were “blatantly at odds with our Catholic faith.” He said none of the bishops was unaware that the meeting fell close to an election, but he insisted that none had intended to endorse a party or candidate. “I wish I had been more shrewd and less simple, like those who exploited our meeting for partisan political purposes,” Joensen wrote.

Archbishop James Golka of Denver, another participant, told his archdiocese’s publication that he understood why many people saw the video as an endorsement but that it was “never my intention.” Golka said, “I’m heartbroken that people are hurt, and that there are people intentionally using this moment to sow disunity.”

Bishop Scott Bullock of Rapid City told the National Catholic Reporter that a Heritage Foundation representative had invited him and that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops was “not unaware” of the meeting. Bullock did not say who in the leadership knew.

Grob said the Heritage Foundation arranged the meeting. The Guardian described the organization as “the conservative thinktank behind the Project 2025 rightwing blueprint for the second Trump administration.” Grob said the bishops were told it would be a private discussion of immigration enforcement, religious-worker visas and human dignity, with a possible chance to pray privately with the president. Joensen said officials connected to the White House Faith Office invited him and that the agenda also covered fertility treatment incentives, abortion-inducing drugs and tax credits for private schools.

After 90 minutes with domestic policy staff, the bishops were ushered into the Oval Office, handed commemorative tokens and, Grob detailed, directed to stand behind Trump’s desk and pray. Grob said no one told the bishops a video was being recorded and that they never agreed to its release.

Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, has urged Catholics to put faith ahead of politics before the vote. The bishops are due to hold their annual fall assembly in Baltimore in November, about two weeks after the election.

The Guardian said Trump had spent his second term “fusing Christian prayers with the machinery of government.” The administration created a White House Faith Office by executive order in February 2025 and, the same month, a Justice Department-led task force to “eradicate anti-Christian bias” in federal agencies.

In April, Trump faced criticism after posting an AI-generated image on his Truth Social platform depicting himself as a Jesus-like figure. He later deleted the post and claimed it was “supposed to be me as a doctor making people better.”

At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has held Christian worship services, which the Associated Press reported were led only by evangelicals. In March, Hegseth prayed for “overwhelming violence” against “those who deserve no mercy” in the Iran war.

When Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde urged Trump at his inauguration prayer service to show mercy toward migrants and LGBTQ+ people, Trump demanded that Budde and her church apologize. Budde rejected the demand.

Grob ended his apology by writing, “We are, as ever, a pilgrim people,” and adding, “And that includes bishops,” before ending with “sincere regret.”