The oath of office, which is traditionally taken exactly at noon, started a minute late. By the time Melania Trump reached her husband with the Bibles, his hand had already been raised as he was taking the oath, potentially explaining the oversight.
The inaugural committee highlighted that the two Bibles used in the ceremony were significant: one was the Bible used by President Abraham Lincoln during his 1861 oath, and the other was Trump’s personal family Bible, which he had also used during his first swearing-in in 2017. This personal Bible was given to him by his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, in 1955 when he was just 9 years old.
Despite the brief moment of confusion, the inauguration marked the beginning of Trump’s second term as president.
On Inauguration Day, Vice President JD Vance was sworn in by Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh on a King James Bible that had been owned by his maternal great-grandmother. Vance was given the Bible by his “Mamaw” in 2003 when he enlisted in the U.S. Marines.
The ceremony faced some technical difficulties, particularly when music intended for singer Carrie Underwood failed to play. This caused an awkward moment, but Underwood improvised by singing “America the Beautiful” a cappella, with the audience joining in.
Bibles with both personal and historical significance have been a tradition at U.S. presidential inaugurations. Presidents such as Harry S. Truman and Richard Nixon have taken their oaths on more than one Bible. Dwight D. Eisenhower used both his personal Bible and the one used by George Washington during his 1789 inauguration. The Lincoln Bible, famous for its use by President Abraham Lincoln, was also used during Barack Obama’s swearing-in ceremonies in 2009 and 2013.
In a controversial move last year, President Trump promoted a “God Bless the USA” Bible inspired by the song “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood. The Bible was sold for $69.99, and a special Inauguration Day edition was released this month at the same price, plus shipping.
