Bishop Joensen says Trump meeting ‘exploited’ for politics, while others clarify backstory

A second bishop is expressing regret over a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House last week and complained that it has been “exploited” for political gain, while others who attended are clarifying the reasons they went.

On Oct. 22, the White House posted a video that showed Denver Archbishop James Golka leading a prayer with Trump, surrounded by about a dozen other bishops, who stood beside the president’s spiritual advisor Paula White-Cain and White House Faith Office Director Jennifer Korn.

The video was shared by Margo Martin , a White House communications advisor, with no news release to accompany it, nor any description of what was discussed. Golka shared the video on archdiocesan social media and clarified it was not a political endorsement.

Bishops who attended the meeting and the prayer have stated they were invited by the White House Faith Office to discuss issues of importance to Catholics: the right to life, the dignity of migrants, religious liberty, and school choice. Several have echoed Golka, emphasizing the meeting and prayer was not a political endorsement, while two have expressed regret for going.

On Oct. 25, Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey…