Historic Shift: Trump Chooses No Bible for Presidential Oath
During his inauguration on January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump deviated from tradition by taking the presidential oath of office without placing his hand on a Bible. Instead, he stood with his left arm by his side and raised his right hand.
First Lady Melania Trump held two Bibles during the ceremony, one a gift from Trump’s mother and the other the historic Lincoln Bible.
This departure from tradition has sparked discussions among Americans and commentators. Some have questioned the significance of the gesture, while others have noted that the U.S. Constitution does not mandate the use of a Bible for the oath of office.
Notably, President John Quincy Adams used a legal book instead of a Bible during his 1825 inauguration, and President Theodore Roosevelt took the oath without any book in 1901.
Despite the deviation, the oath was administered correctly, and President Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. The ceremony proceeded without incident, and the absence of the traditional gesture did not affect the validity of the oath.