The longstanding tradition of taking the presidential oath with one hand on a Bible stretches back to George Washington and was observed by Mr. Trump in 2017. But doing so is not a requirement.

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.

Following the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th U.S. president on Jan. 20, 2025, a rumor spread online that Trump took the oath of office without placing his hand on a bible. Multiple ...

Trump did place his hand on both those Bibles when he took the oath of office in 2017. Trump's team did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on why the president did ...

Video and photos show that Trump recited the oath from Roberts without placing his hand on the Lincoln Bible, first used to swear in the 16th U.S. president, and a Bible his mother gave him in 1955.

However, there is no legal requirement for a hand to be placed on a Bible when an official is being sworn in. Article VI, Clause 3, of the U.S. Constitution states officials are bound “by oath ...

Trump held up his right hand and repeated the oath of office as read to him by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, as is customary, but his left remained at his side.

The placement of Trump’s left hand, however, has no bearing on the legitimacy of his first day back at the job. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th President of the United ...