'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAX/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMynkx//xAAgEAABBAIBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAQIDEQASMQUGI0Hh/9oACAEBAAE/AOpdxlhkvEgHFePQ6+S93q5youv2uMmngWZ9cbL6z//EABgRAQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIAAQMR/9oACAECAQE/ALzJJ5P/xAAXEQEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABABES/9oACAEDAQE/ANqtz//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
A viral photo circulating online claims that Donald Trump did not place his hand on a Bible during his second presidential inauguration on January 20, 2025. The image has sparked debates about whether Trump broke a long-standing tradition. However, a closer examination of the event reveals the facts behind the controversy.
The viral claim originated on social media, where users noted that Trump’s hand appeared to be raised rather than resting on the Bible.
"Trump did NOT put his hand on the Bible while being sworn in," one X user wrote.
To clarify, Donald Trump did not touch the Bible while taking his presidential oath. He used two Bibles during the ceremony: the Lincoln Bible and a personal Bible gifted to him by his mother. While some viral claims suggest his hand was not physically resting on the Bible, tradition does not require direct contact, and both Bibles were present during the oath, as reported by Newsweek.
According to Article II, Section I, Clause 8 of the Constitution, while the U.S. Constitution requires the president to take an oath of office, it does not mandate the use of a Bible or any religious text. Historical precedents show flexibility in this tradition, as some past presidents did not use a Bible at all.
Donald Trump's Bible choices for his presidential oath ceremony
Ahead of his second term, Donald Trump's inaugural committee announced that he would use the same two Bibles from his first inauguration in 2017. The first, known as the Lincoln Bible, was used by Abraham Lincoln in 1861 and later by Barack Obama in 2009 and 2013.
The second Bible is a personal one gifted to Donald Trump by his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, in 1955 when he graduated from Sunday school.
The committee also addressed earlier speculation that Trump might use his "God Bless the USA" Bible, a patriotic-themed King James Version sold on his website. However, they confirmed that he opted for the Lincoln Bible and his childhood Bible instead.
The tradition of placing a hand on a Bible during the presidential oath dates back to George Washington in 1789. Although not a constitutional requirement, it symbolizes faith, continuity, and a commitment to uphold the Constitution. Over time, the choice of the Bible has often reflected personal or historical significance.
For example, Theodore Roosevelt did not use a Bible during his 1901 inauguration, while Lyndon B. Johnson used a liturgical book aboard Air Force One in 1963. Trump himself has emphasized the significance of his Bible choices, frequently drawing parallels to historical figures like Lincoln.
The viral photo suggesting Donald Trump's hand was not resting on the Bible has been taken out of context. The Constitution does not require physical contact with the Bible, and as long as the oath is recited correctly, it remains valid. The committee has not issued a direct statement about the image but reiterated that the Bibles were present and integral to the ceremony.
