(The Daily Beast) Kellyanne Conway defended President Donald Trump’s decision to tear-gas protesters for a photo-op in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church Monday night by going after the bishop who presides over that congregation.
The White House counselor was confronted with the criticism from Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde during an appearance on Fox News early Tuesday afternoon. Asked to respond to Budde, who told CNN’s Anderson Cooper she was “outraged” that Trump had used her church as a “prop,” Conway went on the attack.
After listing various actions Trump has taken in the name of “religious liberty”—implying that all clergy should be grateful for his help—Conway addressed Budde directly.
“That is not ‘her church,’ that is not ‘her Bible,’” Conway said. “We don’t look into other people’s hearts and souls and discern and judge what their faith is.”