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U.S. bishops urge Catholic voters: Start with your faith, discern your vote

· Confirmed

Faith Desk

In Short: Two Catholic bishops in the U.S. expressed regret over a White House meeting with President Trump, fearing it could be seen as a political endorsement.

Tuen Mun Catholic Secondary School part two in November 2020
Photo: 姒姓賢寧 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Two Catholic bishops in the U.S. have expressed regret over a White House meeting with President Donald Trump, fearing it could be seen as a political endorsement. The meeting, which took place on October 22, involved a group of bishops praying with Trump at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, as reported by the BBC.

The bishops, including Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob and Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines, Iowa, said they believed the meeting was private and not intended as a political photo opportunity. However, the images and videos of the meeting have sparked controversy, with many questioning whether the bishops were making a political statement.

YouTube — United States Conference of Catholic Bishops YouTube

In a statement posted online, Bishop Joensen said the meeting was arranged by the White House Faith Office to discuss issues such as immigration, visas for international clergy, and the exploitation of vulnerable poor persons. Archbishop Grob, in a statement titled 'A Public Apology,' acknowledged receiving many questions and comments, some of them distraught, about the meeting.

The BBC reported that 55% of Catholic voters supported Trump in the 2024 election, according to a Pew study. However, a recent survey found that only 30% of all U.S. Catholics approved of Trump's job performance, compared to 47% when he first returned to the White House in 2025.

The Daily Post Nigeria reported that the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria urged Nigerians to reject vote-buying and vote-selling ahead of the 2027 general elections. Meanwhile, the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph urged Catholics to vote in support of a pro-life amendment.

Both the BBC and PBS reported that the bishops did not intend to endorse any political party or candidate. Bishop Joensen stated, 'In no way did any of us intend by our involvement to endorse any political party or any individual candidate.'

The bishops emphasized that their primary concern was to discuss issues of faith and social justice, not to make a political statement. Archbishop Grob added, 'I 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.'

Despite the controversy, the bishops maintained that their meeting with Trump was not intended to be a political endorsement. They urged Catholics to form their consciences in light of their faith and discern their votes informed by the teachings of the Church, as reported by Ewtnnews.

The BBC and PBS agree that the bishops regret the meeting and did not intend to make a political statement. They both reported that the bishops emphasized the need to discuss issues of faith and social justice without endorsing any political party or candidate.

The BBC and PBS agree that the bishops regret the meeting and did not intend to make a political statement. They both reported that the bishops emphasized the need to discuss issues of faith and social justice without endorsing any political party or candidate.

Background

The U.S. bishops are urging Catholic voters to discern their votes in light of their faith and the teachings of the Church, ahead of the contentious 2026 midterm elections.

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