Donald Trump has officially taken the oath of office, becoming the 47th President of the United States.
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,” Trump stated during the ceremony.
The Presidential Oath of Office is outlined in Article II, Section 1 of the US Constitution, while oaths for other federal officials, including the vice president, are established by Congress.
Interestingly, the words “so help me God” do not appear in the Constitutional text, but were reportedly added by George Washington during his first inauguration, setting a precedent for future presidents—though there is no definitive historical proof he did so.
Notably, Presidents Franklin Pierce and Herbert Hoover opted to “affirm” rather than “swear” their oaths.
