US President Trump paused to hold up a Bible in front of the historic St John's Church, just moments after armed soldiers chased out peaceful protesters from the area - clearing the way forward for him.
But the episcopal bishop of Washington DC accused Trump of using the church as a prop.
"I am outraged...[that] they could use one of our churches as a prop, holding a Bible... one that declares that God is love when everything [Trump] has said and done is to enflame violence," the Right Rev Mariann Budde told the Washington Post newspaper.