Two Catholic bishops have apologized for going to an Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump and ten other prelates, claiming they were "exploited."

Less than two weeks before the midterm elections, images and video of twelve clergy men praying over the president were made public on Thursday. In the pictures, Trump is shown sitting at the Oval Office desk with his head lowered while the church members surround him in prayer.

One of the bishops in attendance now expressed regret for "inadvertently" taking part in a political gathering so close to an election, saying he believed they were influenced. Another expressed sorrow for participating and claimed the gathering was "exploited" for "partisan political purposes."

Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, has insisted that bishops refrain from political partisanship, which stands in sharp contrast to the image published by the White House. He has, however, spoken out against the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and the war in Iran, as well as advocating for stricter regulation of artificial intelligence.

Since papal trips often do not occur during election cycles, the midterm elections also played a significant role in the pope's decision not to travel to the United States in 2026.

Archbishop of Milwaukee Jeffrey Grob, one of the attendees, later claimed that the meeting had been rigged, that he had no idea it was being filmed, and that the bishops had not granted permission for the recordings and pictures to be made public.

Grob stated in a statement, "To start, the meeting was in no way an endorsement of the president, his policies, or his party."

However, he clarified that he "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" following the publishing of the photos.

"I did not go [to the meeting] without reservations," the archbishop continued. I regret not listening to them. I apologize for any harm my actions may have caused, acknowledge that I have heard these worries, and understand how I caused them.

William Joensen, a bishop from Des Moines, expressed his opinion that the conference had been "exploited" for "partisan political purposes" and expressed regret for his actions. He remarked, "I wish I had been less simple and more astute." "As I continue to be steadfast in my willingness to interact with and pray for political leaders at all levels, I pray that I am more cautious and wise going forward."

Paula White-Cain, Trump's longstanding spiritual advisor, was present for the meeting. "It was a great meeting," Trump remarked afterward. They did, in fact, pray. The majority of them prayed. In actuality, the meeting was quite pleasant. They are excellent.

Catholics had supported Trump in previous campaigns, but after taking office again, recent polls indicate that support has decreased.

"There has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump," stated White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers in response to a question about whether the clergy members had given permission for their photographs to be used. She mentioned his defense of parents' rights, his work opposing the provision of gender-identity care for children, his pardoning of anti-abortion activists, and "expanded religious rights."

Although the president and the pope had a public altercation earlier this year, Trump has recently been less critical of the pope, often pointing out that Louis, the pope's oldest brother, is a fan of MAGA. Trump expressed his desire for the pope to "get well" following his latest lung cancer diagnosis.

The president referred to Leo's brother as "a friend of mine" and stated, "It's big stuff anytime you have cancer, but the prognosis seems to be good."

One church source told CNN that the White House was pulling a "trick or treat early" when the video of the president and bishops praying was made public.