President Donald Trump met with a dozen U.S. Catholic bishops in the Oval Office on Oct. 22, less than two weeks before the 2026 midterm elections.

The meeting took place at the White House in Washington. A video posted by Margo Martin showed the bishops praying over Trump. Trump said the gathering consisted largely of prayer.

“It was a great meeting. Well, they prayed. They mostly prayed,” Trump said on Oct. 23.

A White House official said the discussion also covered religious freedom and school choice. Archbishop James R. Golka led a prayer during the meeting.

Meeting Was Not Organized by USCCB

The Archdiocese of Denver confirmed the gathering on Oct. 22. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops had no role in arranging it, spokesperson Chieko Noguchi said.

The USCCB does not endorse or oppose specific candidates for public office.

Mario Enzler attended as a liaison to the bishops. The Heritage Foundation confirmed his attendance on Oct. 23 and said he did not organize the meeting.

The bishops listed as attending were Golka; Jeffrey S. Grob; Joseph F. Naumann; Edward J. Burns; James S. Wall; Steven J. Raica; Thomas J. Hennen; Michael C. Barber; Scott E. Bullock; William M. Joensen; Francis Y. Kalabat; and A. Elias Zaidan.

Election Timing

The meeting came as Trump urged audiences to vote in the midterms. Robert Schmuhl said Trump “keeps reminding audiences that they should vote in the midterms as though he were on the ballot.”

Trump’s approval rating among U.S. Catholics was 30% in October 2026, down from 47% at the beginning of his second term, according to the Pew Research Center.

The Archdiocese of Denver cited 1 Timothy 2:1-2 in connection with prayer for public officials.