President-elect Donald Trump has officially been sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. During the inauguration ceremony, Trump recited the Presidential Oath of Office as specified in Article II, Section 1 of the US Constitution. The oath includes the commitment to faithfully execute the duties of the President and to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.
It is interesting to note that the phrase “so help me God” is not explicitly stated in the Constitutional oath. This addition was reportedly introduced by George Washington during his first inauguration, although historical evidence supporting this claim is not definitive. Despite this, subsequent presidents have followed this tradition.
Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that the oath for other federal officials, such as the vice president, is not outlined in the Constitution. Instead, Congress established these oaths through statutory laws. Notably, some past presidents, like Franklin Pierce and Herbert Hoover, opted to “affirm” rather than “swear” their oaths, showcasing the flexibility within the inauguration process.
