Oath of office of the president of the United States facts for kids

The oath of office of the president of the United States is a special promise the president of the United States makes when they start their job. This promise is written in the United States Constitution, in a part called Article II, Section One, Clause 8. A new president must take this oath before they can use any of their official powers or duties.

This specific oath is unique because it's the only one in the Constitution that gives the exact words to be spoken. Other parts of the Constitution mention oaths, but they don't list the words. The presidential oath is a strong promise to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." This means the president promises to do their best to keep the Constitution safe and follow its rules.

What the Oath Says

Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:—
"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."

The Swearing-In Ceremony

Federal judge Sarah T. Hughes giving the presidential oath to Lyndon B. Johnson after John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963.

A new president starts their four-year term at noon on January 20, after the election. Traditionally, they take the oath during a public event called an inauguration on that day. Before 1937, the president's term used to start on March 4.

If January 20 falls on a Sunday, the president usually takes the oath privately that day. Then, they repeat the oath in a public ceremony the next day, on January 21.

Sometimes, a vice president becomes president if the current president dies or resigns. In these cases, the oath is given very quickly. This makes sure the country's leadership continues without any breaks.

Who Gives the Oath?

Franklin D. Roosevelt taking the oath from Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes on March 4, 1933. This was the first of Roosevelt's four presidential inaugurations.

The Constitution doesn't say who must give the presidential oath. However, since John Adams's time, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has usually done it.

There have been a few exceptions:

• George Washington took his first oath in 1789 from Robert Livingston, who was a judge in New York.
• When Zachary Taylor died, Millard Fillmore became president in 1850. The oath was given by William Cranch, a chief judge.
• After Warren Harding died, Calvin Coolidge was sworn in by his own father, John Calvin Coolidge Sr., who was a notary public (someone who can legally witness signatures).
• Sarah T. Hughes, a federal judge, gave the oath to Lyndon B. Johnson on Air Force One after John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963. She is the only woman to have given the oath.

Overall, many different people have given the oath. This includes 15 chief justices, one associate justice, four federal judges, two New York state judges, and one notary public.

Choosing to "Affirm"

The Constitution allows a president to "affirm" instead of "swear." This option might be for certain Christians, like Quakers, who believe they should not "swear" oaths.

Franklin Pierce is the only president known to have used "affirm" instead of "swear." While Herbert Hoover was a Quaker and is sometimes thought to have affirmed, a newsreel shows he actually "solemnly swore." Richard Nixon, also a Quaker, chose to swear.

How the Oath is Given

The way the oath is given has changed over time.

In the past, the person giving the oath would ask a question, like, "Do you, George Washington, solemnly swear...?" The president would then reply, "I do" or "I swear." This was common until the early 1900s. For example, in 1929, Chief Justice William H. Taft asked Herbert Hoover, "You, Herbert Hoover, do you solemnly swear...?" and Hoover simply said, "I do."

Today, the person giving the oath says the oath phrase by phrase, and the president repeats each phrase exactly. Franklin D. Roosevelt started this modern way in 1933. By Harry S. Truman's inauguration in 1949, this repeating method was the standard.

Using Bibles

Donald Trump taking the oath of office on the Trump family Bible and the Lincoln Bible on January 20, 2017.

It's a tradition for presidents to raise their right hand and place their left hand on a Bible when taking the oath. In 1789, George Washington used a Bible borrowed from a Masonic lodge and kissed it afterward.

Many presidents after Washington, up to Harry S. Truman, also kissed the Bible. Some presidents, like Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, George H. W. Bush, and Barack Obama, have used two Bibles. Joe Biden used a large family Bible that had been in his family since 1893.

Not all presidents have used a Bible. Thomas Jefferson and Calvin Coolidge did not. Theodore Roosevelt did not use one in 1901. John Quincy Adams swore on a book of law, meaning to swear on the Constitution itself. Lyndon B. Johnson used a Roman Catholic missal (a prayer book) for his first oath on Air Force One, thinking it was a Bible. He used a Bible for his second inauguration.

Donald Trump used two Bibles for his first inauguration: one from his mother and the Lincoln Bible. These Bibles were present at his second inauguration, but he did not place his hand on them.

Adding "So Help Me God"

The phrase "So help me God" is often added to the end of the oath. While the Constitution doesn't require it for the president's oath, it is required for other U.S. judges and officers, unless they choose to "affirm." Most presidents, especially in the last century, have chosen to say "So help me God" and use a Bible.

There's a discussion about whether George Washington, the first president, added this phrase. The earliest story saying he did came out 65 years after the event. Other records from his time don't mention him saying it.

The debate is tricky because of the two ways the oath has been given. When the oath was asked as a question, the president's answer like "I will, so help me God" would complete it. For example, in 1881, Chester A. Arthur reportedly said, "I will, so help me God."

Records show that Abraham Lincoln said "So help me God" at his second inauguration in 1865. More recent research suggests presidents like William Henry Harrison (1841) and Andrew Jackson also used the phrase. Since Franklin D. Roosevelt, almost every president has said "So help me God."

Oath Mistakes

Barack Obama taking the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts for the second time on January 21, 2009.

Sometimes, mistakes have happened during the oath:

• In 1909, Chief Justice Melville Fuller misquoted the oath when swearing in President William Howard Taft.
• In 1925, Chief Justice Taft (who was also a former president) made a few small errors when giving the oath to President Calvin Coolidge.
• Again in 1929, Chief Justice Taft famously mixed up some words when swearing in President Herbert Hoover. He said "preserve, maintain, and defend" instead of "preserve, protect, and defend." Taft didn't think the mistake was important, and Hoover didn't retake the oath.
• In 1945, when Harry S. Truman first became president, Chief Justice Harlan F. Stone mistakenly added a middle name to Truman's initial "S."
• In 1953 and 1957, Dwight D. Eisenhower himself misread a line, adding "the" before "President of the United States."
• In 1965, Chief Justice Earl Warren prompted Lyndon B. Johnson to say "the Office of the Presidency" instead of "the Office of President."
• In 1973, President Richard Nixon added an extra "and" to a line.
• In 2009, Chief Justice John Roberts incorrectly recited part of the oath to Barack Obama. Obama paused, and Roberts tried to correct himself, but it was still a bit off. Because of this, the oath was given again the next day at the White House to make sure it was correct.

List of Ceremonies

Since the office of President began in 1789, there have been 59 public swearing-in ceremonies for new four-year terms. There have also been nine additional ceremonies when a vice president became president because the current president died or resigned.

As of 2025, the presidential oath has been taken 76 times by 45 different people. This number is higher than the number of presidents because:

• A president takes the oath at the start of each term they serve.
• Five presidents took the oath privately on a Sunday before their public ceremony.
• Three presidents repeated the oath as a precaution to avoid any future legal questions.

Notes

Images for kids

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  This map shows where presidents have taken their oath (green 'O') and where presidencies have ended (red 'X').

Related Topics

• Presidential Succession Act
• Oath of office of the vice president of the United States
• United States presidential transition