As millions watched President Donald Trump’s inauguration at the White House on Monday, Jan. 20, many noticed that he did not place his left hand on a Bible while being sworn in. Now people are questioning that gesture, and wondering if the president can be sworn in without using a Bible.

President-elect Donald Trump, from left, takes the oath of office as son Barron Trump and wife Melania Trump watch during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (Kevin Lamarque/Pool Photo via AP) AP

As Trump recited the Oath of Office, he never lifted his left hand to place it upon the Bibles. Was it a mistake?

Some presidents did not use a Bible to take the oath of office, including Theodore Roosevelt, who did not use anything when he was sworn into office in 1901, and John Quincy Adams, who chose a legal book for his 1825 swearing-in, to signify his responsibility to uphold the U.S. constitutional law.

President Trump's family wasn't in place as the oath of office began, including his wife, Melania, who was holding two Bibles.

President Donald Trump faced backlash after critics noted that he did not place his hand on the Bible during his inauguration on Monday, raising questions about the tradition’s significance during the formal ceremony.