# Bishops say Trump photo op was manipulated

> Two Catholic bishops regret attending a White House meeting, saying the prayer session was publicized without consent for political gain.
- Title: Bishops say Trump photo op was manipulated · CBS News
- Summary: Two Catholic bishops regret attending a White House meeting, saying the prayer session was publicized without consent for political gain. Milwaukee…
- Keywords: jeffrey grob, william joensen, white house, trump, catholic bishops, midterm elections, prayer photo, news, Bishops, say, photo, manipulated
- Source: CBS News — https://cbsnews.com/news/trump-photo-bishops-white-house-meeting
- Published: 2026-10-26T12:14:19+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: jeffrey grob, william joensen, white house, trump, catholic bishops, midterm elections, prayer photo, news
## Bishops regret White House prayer meeting
Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob and Des Moines Bishop William Joensen attended a White House meeting on Thursday with eleven other bishops to pray with President Trump.
## Photos released without consent
The White House publicized the meeting with photos and video without the bishops' consent, less than two weeks before the midterm elections.
## Grob: prayer was manipulated
Grob said in a statement titled A Public Apology that he felt heavy sadness that something so sacred to religious leaders would be manipulated in that way.

> I feel a heavy sadness, not only over the pain I caused, but also for the fact that something so sacred to a group of religious leaders, prayer to our Heavenly Father, would be manipulated in that way.
## Joensen: bishops were exploited
Bishop William Joensen wrote that he wished he had been more shrewd and less simple, saying the White House exploited their meeting for partisan political purpose.

> I wish I had been more shrewd and less simple, like those who exploited our meeting for partisan political purpose.
## White House denies consent question
Asked whether the White House received the bishops' consent for releasing photos and video, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers declined to answer the question directly.
## Grob: we came in good faith
Grob said the meeting was meant to be private discussion about immigration, religious worker visas, abortion and tax credits. He said bishops should never have been put in position to pose for political photo opportunity.

> We came in good faith to try to work for the betterment of our fellow human beings, to ease their suffering, to build up the common good, and to pray with a president, not to pose for a political photo opportunity to benefit the few.
## Key takeaway

Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob and Des Moines Bishop William Joensen expressed regret over a White House meeting with President Trump that was photographed and released without their consent less than two weeks before midterm elections.