Trump’s hand wasn’t on the Bible during the oath of office: What does this mean?

The Hill ^ | January 20, 2025 | MICHAEL BARTIROMO

[DoodleBob]

President Donald Trump, when taking his most recent oath of office, did not appear to place his left hand on either of the Bibles brought to the swearing-in ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda on Monday.

The placement of Trump’s left hand, however, has no bearing on the legitimacy of his first day back at the job.

The U.S. Constitution does not stipulate that a president-to-be place his or her hand on a Bible when taking the Oath, because each president who recites this oath or affirmation is “bound” by the words themselves, per Article VI. The same article also says that “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.”

Article II, meanwhile, merely states that the chief executive of the United States must recite the oath before being able to take office. (Interestingly, there is also no stipulation that the oath of office end with “so help me God,” though it has become customary.)

Throughout history, there have also been several presidents who were not sworn in using a Bible. Among them, John Quincy Adams brought a “volume” of U.S. laws, and Theodore Roosevelt didn’t swear on a Bible when he was hastily sworn into office after William McKinley’s death. During Lyndon B. Johnson’s inauguration on Air Force One — only hours after John F. Kennedy’s assassination — he placed his hand on a Catholic missal (a book containing text used for religious services) belonging to the former president.

Calvin Coolidge, in his 1929 autobiography, also claims he didn’t use his family Bible when he was sworn in at his family’s Vermont home in the wake of Warren G. Harding’s death.

“The Bible which had belonged to my mother lay on the table at my hand. It was not officially used, as it is not the practice in Vermont or Massachusetts to use a Bible in connection with the administration of an oath,” he wrote.

Like Coolidge, Trump did indeed have two Bibles nearby when taking his most recent oath of office — one given to him by his great-grandmother, and another used by President Abraham Lincoln at his 1861 inauguration — which his wife Melania held up nearby. It is unclear whether he intended to place his hand on those Bibles, or if he intentionally refrained from doing so.

In any case, most modern presidents — Biden, Obama, and even Trump during his first oath — have indeed placed their hand upon the Bible, despite there being no requirement to do so.

[DoodleBob]

From elsewhere, conservatives appeared to blame Roberts.

"Chief Justice Roberts rushing the oath before Melania got to President Trump without his hand on the Bible is absolutely disgraceful.

Shame on Roberts," wrote one X user.

"No offense but the guy who swore Trump In didn’t even give his family the chance to walk in and didn’t tell Trump to put his hand on the Bible. He just started swearing him in before Melanie could walk over. Totally rushed," another posted.

Other theories are 1) he was inaugurated earlier and this was for show, and 2) He didn’t take a new oath on the Bible because the old one was still valid and he’s been a wartime President ever since.

Talk amongst yourselves. It coulda been a stack of Mad Magazines for all I care, as long as he takes over the Executive.

[Sarah Barracuda]

Because Roberts is a schmuck who was in too much of a hurry he didnt wait for Melania to bring the bible to him by the time she had arrived the oath was already halfway over, I would have stopped it and started from scratch

[Ninaq]

This was John Roberts fault.
He did not give Melania nor the family an opportunity to come forward and get into place.
He started the oath right away.

What is wrong with Roberts?

[Vision]

It means Chief Roberts screwed up, again, and should no longer be allowed to give the oath.

He probably has some social anxiety and that would explain some of his decisions through the years.

[FLT-bird]

What does it mean? Absolutely nothing.

[lightman]

If we capitalize Black we should capitalize Bible.

[gundog]

Remember he flubbed Obama’s oath....

[stylin19a]

what does it mean ? nothing.

[Sacajaweau]

No she was there just as it started. He chose not to do it. Appeared to be deliberate. I think he had a reason....known to him alone.

[Jamestown1630]

It means nothing. He raised his hand and swore. That’s all that is required.

[DoodleBob]

[bigbob]

I guess Melania is President now.

[Raycpa]

Matthew 5:37
New King James Version
37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

[DoodleBob]

Well, Jill was running the place for the past 4 years….

[iamgalt]

What is wrong with Roberts?“

Plenty

[Blurb2350]

The hand-on-the-Bible thing is a tradition but not a requirement. Like wearing the little U.S. flag lapel pin.

[Soul of the South]

The Constitution (20th Amendment) states the presidential term ends at noon. To ensure continuity the oath of the new president is administered at noon.

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D) and Senator Deb Fischer (R) gave a lengthy speeches immediately prior to the administration of the presidential oath. These speeches were more lengthy than the time allotted.

The length of these speeches resulted in the timing of the oath administration to President Trump being delayed. It appears Justice Roberts rushed the administration of the oath, before Melania was in place with the Bibles, to minimize the time the nation was technically without a president once Biden’s term expired at noon.

[Republican Wildcat]

It was not anyone’s “fault”...the family just wasn’t paying close enough attention - I was wondering why they weren’t moving but there was a pause but they just didn’t move. Roberts was standing there. Trump was standing, then he moved forward to move toward Roberts, but the family didn’t start moving until Roberts began speaking...but they got up there pretty quickly...so it was all good.

Just a minor detail...don’t let it take away from the day.

[Republican Wildcat]

I thought maybe the same thing since it had moved passed noon at that point by a couple of minutes.

I guess in the hypertechnical sense, Vance was the acting President for those short few moments since he had been sworn in.

[DoodleBob]

Nothing can take today away.

But someone will make a big deal out of it. Indeed…There are at least a dozen msm articles on it.