National Faith Leader Responds to President Trump’s Oval Office Address

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 9, 2019

MEDIA CONTACT

Michelle Nealy, mnealy@faithinpubliclife.org, (202)735-7123
Mackenzie Harris, mharris@faithinpubliclife.org, (610)283-8879

National Faith Leader Responds to President Trump’s Oval Office Address

Washington, D.C. — President Trump delivered an address to the nation on Tuesday from the Oval Office. In light of this development, Rev. Jennifer Butler has issued the following statement.​

Rev. Jennifer Butler, CEO of Faith in Public Life and former chair of the White House Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships:​

“With this address, President Trump sought to stoke fear and hatred in the hearts of the American people by painting the picture of a ‘crisis’ that doesn’t exist and pleading for funds to build a monument of bigotry that we don’t need.​

“The gospel says that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Sadly, the abundance of racism and deceit in President Trump’s heart has spilled out in yet another dishonest attempt to disparage and demean our immigrant neighbors. While Trump’s government shutdown denies thousands of public servants the paychecks they’ve earned, his rhetoric adds insult to injury and degrades his office. The president must repent of these misdeeds, welcome and support immigrant families, and work with Congress to reopen the government immediately.”

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Faith in Public Life is a national network of nearly 50,000 clergy and faith leaders united in the prophetic pursuit of justice and the common good.