Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde delivering a sermon in which she directly confronted President Trump during the National Prayer Service at Washington National Cathedral in January. (Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images)A group of prominent religious leaders in Washington, D.C. is sharply criticizing President Donald Trump’s federal takeover of the District’s police force, saying his rhetoric is inflammatory, dehumanizing and counterproductive to ensuring public safety. One signatory is Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, who challenged President Trump from the pulpit during a prayer service in January. The D.C. religious leaders acknowledged the seriousness of crime in the city but rejected what they called “fear-based governance.” They argued that true public safety comes not from what they call “political theater” or military presence, but through long-term collaboration among government, civic and private sectors. The Trump Administration’s move comes as violent crime in the district is at a 30-year low, according to statistics from the U.S. Justice Department.