[Photo: Morry Gash/Pool/AP]
On Monday, January 20th, 2025, President Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. During the inauguration ceremony, the President-elect takes the Oath of Office, this oath is written in the United States Constitution. The oath promises to protect the Constitution, it reads, “I (presidents full name) do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
The Chief Justice usually administers the oath, and their role is to ensure a peaceful transition of power. As the President-elect repeats after the Chief Justice, the oath is ended with “so help me God.” However, that is not written in the Constitution and is just followed as tradition. This oath is usually taken with the right hand up and left hand on the Bible or the President-elect’s text of choice. This tradition was started by President George Washington and has been followed by most presidents.
President John Quincy Adams swore his oath on a book of law instead of the Bible in 1825. After the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901 his successor President Theodore Roosevelt took the oath in a private ceremony in Buffalo, New York and there was no Bible available. In 1963, after the assassination of President Kennedy, President Lyndon B. Johnson had to take the oath on Air Force One and he used a Catholic missal, because a Bible was not immediately available. These special circumstances are the only times presidents have not used a Bible while taking their oath. Although, this is a tradition that was started in 1789, it is not required by the Constitution that a Bible is used or that their hand be placed on the president’s text of choice.
The President’s wife usually holds the Bible during the Oath of Office, as a symbolic gesture of unity and support. However, this is not a requirement, and if the president does not have a wife, other family members, friends or officials are allowed to hold the Bible or the president’s text of choice instead. During President Trump’s first swearing on January 20th, 2017, his wife Melania Trump held the Bible during the Oath of Office, and he placed his hand on the Bible, following the tradition. Recently during his second time taking the Oath of Office, Melania Trump held two Bibles one given to President Trump by his mother and the 2nd was the Lincoln Bible that President Lincoln used to take the Oath of Office in 1861. President Trump did not put his hand on either Bible.
While campaigning to become President, Trump promoted the “God Bless the USA Bible”, the title of the Bible is inspired by country singer Lee Greenwood’s song “God Bless the USA”, who is also a partner of “God Bless the USA.” The website says this is “the only Bible endorsed by President Trump.” Trump talked about his life being saved by God during his inauguration speech, he recalled the assassination attempt when he was shot in the ear in Pennsylvania in July 2024 “But I felt then, and believe even more so now, that my life was saved for a reason. I was saved by God to make America great again” he said.”
