Trump Takes Oath of Office Without Placing Hand on Bible Held by Melania Trump

Jan 20, 2025, 05:48 PM

During his inauguration on Monday, President Donald Trump did not place his hand on the Bible while taking the oath of office. First Lady Melania Trump stood next to him, holding two Bibles, including the Lincoln Bible and a personal Bible, but Trump completed the oath without touching either. This action deviates from the traditional practice, though it is not a constitutional requirement for the president to place a hand on a Bible during the oath. The U.S. Constitution mandates only the oath itself, and historical precedents show that other presidents, such as Theodore Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson, have also taken the oath without a Bible.