Twelve Catholic bishops said the White House exploited a private meeting on Oct. 22 by releasing a video of them praying for Trump in the Oval Office. According to them, the video was filmed without their knowledge less than two weeks before the November 3 midterm elections. Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grove issued a "public apology," saying the meeting was "in no way an endorsement of the president, his policies, or his party" and that the prayer was "used for manipulative purposes." He added that they "were not there to pose for a political photo for the benefit of the few", and that "we should never have found ourselves in this situation created by the White House". Des Moines Bishop William Johnson said he regretted "not being more insightful and less naive than those who took advantage of our meeting for partisan political purposes."

Twelve Catholic bishops said the White House exploited a private meeting on Oct. 22 by releasing a video of them praying for Trump in the Oval Office. According to them, the video was filmed without their knowledge less than two weeks before the November 3 midterm elections. Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grove issued a "public apology," saying the meeting was "in no way an endorsement of the president, his policies, or his party" and that the prayer was "used for manipulative purposes." He added that they "were not there to pose for a political photo for the benefit of the few", and that "we should never have found ourselves in this situation created by the White House". Des Moines Bishop William Johnson said he regretted "not being more insightful and less naive than those who took advantage of our meeting for partisan political purposes."