The tradition should continue.
A recent survey from Rasmussen Reports revealed that most Americans support the use of a Bible during the presidential inauguration oath. The poll, conducted among 1,330 likely U.S. voters, showed that 71% of respondents find it appropriate for a president to place their hand on the Bible during the swearing-in ceremony, while 15% disagreed and 14% were undecided. The survey, conducted from January 13-15, has a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.
The data also revealed that support for this tradition cuts across political lines, with Republicans showing the highest approval at 88%, followed by unaffiliated voters at 67%, and Democrats at 59%. Support for using the Bible during the ceremony was also strong across racial groups, with 74% of white respondents, 68% of other races, 67% of Black respondents, and 63% of Hispanic respondents in favor of the practice.
Donald Trump, inaugurated for his second term as the 47th president of the United States, did not place his hand on the Bible during the oath of office, unlike his first inauguration in 2017. Some speculated on social media that this was due to timing issues during the ceremony, as First Lady Melania Trump, who held the Bibles, arrived just after the oath had begun. The Bibles included one used by President Abraham Lincoln in 1861 and another gifted to Trump by his mother when he was nine years old.
While the survey showed general agreement on the Bible tradition, partisan differences emerged in responses to other questions. For example, 42% of respondents felt that former President Joe Biden fulfilled his oath to protect the Constitution during his term, while 48% disagreed. When looking at political affiliations, 76% of Democrats felt Biden upheld his oath, compared to 34% of unaffiliated voters and 13% of Republicans. Meanwhile, 58% of voters expressed confidence that Trump would uphold his oath, with Republicans showing the strongest support at 91%, followed by unaffiliated voters at 61%, and Democrats at 25%.