During his inauguration on Monday, President Donald Trump appeared to forget to put his hand on the Bibles he brought for the swearing-in ceremony, instead leaving his left arm by his side.
With Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issuing the oath of office, Trump’s wife Melania stood next to the president and held two Bibles. (No, neither of them was the infamous “Trump Bible” that fans can purchase for $60.)
One of the books was given to Trump by his mother in 1955 to “mark his Sunday Church Primary School graduation at First Presbyterian Church, in Jamaica, New York,” the inaugural committee noted in a press release.
The other religious text in the first lady’s hands was the Lincoln Bible, the book first used to swear in the 16th president in 1861.
“It has only been used three times since, by President Obama at each of his inaugurations and by President Trump at his first inauguration in 2017,” the Trump team stated. “The burgundy velvet-bound book is part of the collections of the Library of Congress.”
After Vice President JD Vance delivered his oath of office, Trump and his wife walked up to Roberts so the president could be sworn in. The president, however, forgot to place his hand on the stack of books the first lady held right next to him.
“I swear that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United Statesand will to the best of my ability. Preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help me God,” Trump declared, repeating after the chief justice.
In the end, it doesn’t really matter. The Constitution doesn’t say what the swearing-in must include. Also, while most presidents have chosen a Bible, as George Washington first did, John Quincy Adams used a book of law, and Teddy Roosevelt didn’t even use a book.
Still, the spectacle of the new (and former) president not placing his hand on the good book, as is custom, prompted a number of Trump critics to joke online about the faux pas.
“No hand on the bible. Does that mean he is not president?” Democratic strategist Adam Parkhomenko snarked.
“He didn’t put his small hand on the Bible when he took the oath of office,” Never Trump political group The Lincoln Project tweeted.
