Ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's second term, which begins Monday, his inaugural committee announced that he will place his hand on two Bibles during the swearing-in ceremony.
In a Friday announcement, the committee said that they will be the same Bibles he used in January 2017: one utilized by Abraham Lincoln in 1861; and a personal Bible gifted to him by his mother in 1955.
It is expected to be the coldest Inauguration Day since former President Ronald Reagan's second inauguration in 1985, which was the last time the event was held inside. The president-elect has moved Monday's inauguration inside due to freezing temperatures.
Newsweek has contacted the committee via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Presidential inaugurations hold a symbolic place in U.S. history, with the choice of Bible often reflecting personal or national significance.
Could Trump Use His Inauguration Day Edition of 'God Bless the USA' Bible?
Before the announcement, there was speculation about whether Trump would use the "God Bless the USA Bible," which he has sold for $59.99 on his website since Easter 2024. Last week, the president-elect announced a commemorative Inauguration Day edition for $69.99.
Despite promoting a patriotic-themed "God Bless the USA" Bible, sold in multiple versions, Trump will not use it for his oath.
This Bible is a King James Version, which includes the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights and the Pledge of Allegiance, as well as the handwritten chorus of "God Bless the USA" from country singer Lee Greenwood.
Its release sparked debate over its blending of nationalism and religion. It became even more controversial in October when The Associated Press revealed that, even though Trump is a vocal critic of American companies outsourcing manufacturing, the Bibles were printed in China.
Why Do Presidents Place Their Hand on the Bible When Being Sworn In?
While the U.S. Constitution does not require a Bible for the oath of office, the tradition began with George Washington in 1789. He used a Bible borrowed from a Masonic Lodge in New York City.
The practice has since become a staple of presidential inaugurations, symbolizing faith, continuity, and commitment to uphold the Constitution.
Why Did Donald Trump Place His Hand on Two Bibles in 2017 Inauguration Day?
Several Presidents have sworn oaths of office using multiple Bibles at their inauguration, often one of personal significance and the other of historical significance, including Harry S. Truman and Richard Nixon.
Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953, for example, used the Bible that George Washington used in 1789, as well as his own personal "West Point Bible."
In 2017, Trump used the same Bibles he will be using on Monday: The Lincoln Bible; and his own.
As well as being used by Lincoln in 1861, Barack Obama utilized the burgundy, velvet-bound in 2009 and 2013. Trump has often compared himself to Lincoln in the past.
Trump's second Bible was gifted to him by his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, after he graduated Sunday school as a 9-year-old in 1955. This Bible is embossed with his name and signed by church officials.
Vice President-elect JD Vance will use a family King James Version Bible that belonged to his maternal great-grandmother. His "Mamaw" Bonnie gave it to him in 2003 when he left home to join the U.S. Marines.
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