"He was afraid his hand would burn": Internet reacts as Donald Trump takes oath without placing hand on The Bible

President Donald Trump was sworn into office this Monday in Washington, D.C., and First Lady Melania Trump held his personal bible for him as he took the oath of office. However, what caught everyone's eyes is that he failed to place his free left hand over the Bible, as is customary.

Now the 47th President of the United States, Trump is being heavily discussed online, with many denouncing his actions. Scores online are cracking jokes at his expense, while others are ridiculing him for failing to uphold a longstanding tradition. Here's what one user quipped, for instance:

"He was afraid his hand would burn if he put it on the Bible and lied."

The comments didn't end there, as X was visibly abuzz with chatter:

"... guessing he was too afraid of the burn risk," one user echoed.

"So does it still count ? Hearing rumors he can’t lift his hand above his waist. Could that be the reason?" someone else probed.

'Did he lie again and say, “protect and defend the Constitution?”,' yet another questioned.

"All of us are witnessing the sad mockery of someone swearing an Oath they have no intention of upholding," one user opined.

Users online were visibly teeming with opinions, though a good chunk of them were also leaning into the speculations that the President was unable to raise his arm above his waist.

"Might as well have crossed his fingers behind his back," one user quipped.

"Most honest thing he’s ever done. Not like he’s gonna uphold his oath," someone else spewed.

"Not to put too fine a point on it, but if you don’t actually believe in god, or live as a Christian, it doesn’t really matter, does it? I find it ludicrous that there are actually people who believe he’s a Christian, but why would you use a bible if you don’t believe in god?" another defended the President.

"Ok let’s put this out there: 1. It’s the time. He was a minute over time. 2. It’s the oath. He was administered it properly and he took it. 3. The rest is all ceremonial fluff. Really. 4. Behold our new President and Vice President @realDonaldTrump and @JDVance," yet another sided with the new office.

While some users defended the president citing technical aspects like time or perhaps they were being rushed, the dissenting voices contended that it was not enough grounds to disregard the tradition.

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All we know about President Trump's inaugural ceremony as he reportedly failed to swear over his personal Bible

During the ceremony, as he swore himself in for his second term in office, the President delivered the following vow:

“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 used two Bibles for his ceremony, one was the family's, and the other is known as the Lincoln Bible. The latter was used by its namesake president in 1861, as well as by former President Barack Obama in 2009 and 2013. These are the only three presidents to have ever used it.

As for the family Bible, the Catholic News Agency has reported that it was given to Trump in 1955 as a gift for graduating from Sunday School. It is the 1953 Revised Standard Version published by Thomas Nelson and Sons in New York, the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee has revealed.

The manuscript bears his name on the bottom corner of the cover page, while the inside bears the signatures of church officials, as well as an inscription of the day and details pertaining to when he received it.

As for the question: Does the Bible need to be used while swearing in a President of the US? The answer is no. Article II, Section I, Clause 8 of the Constitution states that the president must simply take the oath of office and recite the exact words. Everything else is done at the behest of those participating.

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During his first swearing-in ceremony in 2017, Trump used two Bibles, one of which belonged to his mother.