A Catholic archbishop is apologizing for participating in an Oval Office prayer with President Donald Trump, accusing the White House of turning what was intended to be a sacred moment into a political opportunity ahead of the midterm elections.

Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob issued a public apology on Sunday after photographs and video of the gathering circulated online, raising concerns among Catholics that the religious leaders were endorsing the president.

The White House pushed back Monday, defending Trump’s record on religious freedom and issues important to Catholic Americans, after the archbishop’s criticism drew attention online.

Grob was among 12 bishops who visited the White House to discuss immigration enforcement, religious worker visas and other concerns affecting the Catholic Church.

According to the archbishop, the meeting was arranged through the Heritage Foundation and included approximately 90 minutes of discussions with White House staff before the bishops entered the Oval Office, setting up the prayer that followed.

There, Trump presented commemorative gifts before the religious leaders joined him in prayer.

Grob said the bishops did not realize the moment was being recorded or that images would later be distributed publicly.

“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,” Grob wrote.

He explained that the bishops attended in good faith, hoping to address important humanitarian concerns and pray with the president, not participate in a political photo opportunity.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers rejected the criticism, praising Trump’s actions on religious liberty and Catholic priorities.

“There has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump,” Rogers told Fox News Digital, pointing to his administration’s positions on religious freedom, abortion and parental rights.

Grob was not the only bishop to express regret over how the meeting was portrayed, and another bishop quickly followed with a similar statement.

Des Moines Bishop William Joensen also released a statement emphasizing that the gathering was never intended as an endorsement of a political party or candidate.

“In no way did any of us intend by our involvement to endorse any political party or any individual candidate,” Joensen said.

Reflecting on Matthew 10:16, in which Jesus instructs His followers to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves, Joensen acknowledged that he should have approached the meeting with greater caution.

Denver Archbishop James Golka, who led the Oval Office prayer, offered a different perspective and defended the decision to pray publicly.

Although he recognized the possibility that the gathering could be used for political purposes, Golka said that praying for elected officials remains an important Christian responsibility.

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

The controversy comes amid ongoing disagreements between Catholic leaders and the Trump administration, particularly over immigration policies and refugee assistance, providing the broader backdrop for the dispute.

In February 2025, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops sued the administration over its suspension of federal refugee resettlement funding.

For the bishops involved, the main takeaway is that engaging political leaders on issues of faith and public policy can easily be seen as a political endorsement.

Golka maintained that prayer should remain above those divisions, reminding believers that praying for the nation’s leaders does not necessarily mean agreeing with their policies.