Two Catholic bishops have expressed regret over attending a meeting with 10 other prelates and President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, saying they were “exploited” and “manipulated.”
Photos and video of 12 clergy members praying over the president were released on Thursday, less than two weeks before the midterm elections. The images show the clergy members praying around Trump, who has his head bowed as he is seated at the Oval Office desk.
Now, one bishop in the meeting said he felt they were manipulated and apologized for “inadvertently” participating in a political event so close to an election. Another said the meeting was “exploited” for “partisan political purposes” and expressed regret for attending.
The image released by the White House starkly contrasted with how careful Pope Leo XIV has been to avoid taking sides in politics — the first American pope has insisted that bishops avoid any political partisanship. However, he has addressed policy issues more broadly, speaking out against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and the war in Iran, in addition to calling for tighter regulation of artificial intelligence.
The pope’s decision not to visit the United States in 2026 was also in large part due to the midterms, as papal visits traditionally do not take place during election cycles.
One of the attendees, Archbishop of Milwaukee Jeffrey Grob, said afterward that the meeting had been manipulated, that he was unaware their meeting was being recorded and that the bishops did not give permissions for the public distribution of the footage and images.
“To begin, the meeting was in no way an endorsement of the president, his policies, or his party,” Grob said in a statement.
But he explained that after images were released he “soon began receiving messages of serious concern over the possibility that I had inadvertently participated in a political event less than two weeks before a national election.”
The archbishop went on: “I did not go [to the meeting] without reservations. I wish I had heeded them. Please know that I have heard these concerns, understand how I caused them, and I apologize for any damage my actions have done.”
Another bishop, William Joensen of Des Moines, said he felt the meeting had been “exploited” for “partisan political purposes” and that he wished he’d done things differently. “I wish I had been more shrewd and less simple,” he said. “I pray I am more prudent and wise going forward, even as I remain resolute in my openness to engaging and praying for political leaders at all levels.”
The meeting was attended by Trump’s longtime faith adviser, Paula White-Cain. Trump said after: “It was a great meeting. Well, they prayed. They mostly prayed. It was actually a very nice meeting. They’re great.”
Trump has attracted support from Catholics during his past campaigns, although recent polls show that has dropped since his return to office .
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers did not respond to a question about whether the clergy members had cleared the use of their images, instead sending a statement that said: “There has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump.” She cited “expanded religious rights,” his pardoning of anti-abortion activists, his work against providing gender-identity care for children and his protection of parents’ rights.
While the president had a public clash with the pope earlier this year, Trump has been less critical of him lately — frequently talking about how the pontiff’s eldest brother, Louis, is a MAGA supporter. When the pope was recently diagnosed with lung cancer, Trump said he wanted to see him “get well.”
“It’s big stuff anytime you have cancer, but the prognosis seems to be good,” the president said, going on to call Leo’s brother “a friend of mine.”
Following release of the footage of the bishops and the president praying, one church source joked to CNN that it was the White House doing “trick or treat early!”
CNN’s Molly English contributed to this report.
