America's newly elected President Donald Trump is going to take oath of office on January 20. The inauguration ceremony will be grand. Its tickets have been sold out. Many foreign guests including America's arch rival China's President Xi Jinping have been invited. On behalf of India, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will participate in Trump's swearing-in ceremony. The whole world will be watching the swearing-in of the President of the world's most powerful and largest democratic country. There are many important questions related to this swearing-in, which will be very interesting to know. Like why does the inauguration of swearing-in take place in the month of January? What is the tradition of keeping the Bible in hand while taking oath and since when?

Why is Inauguration Day only in January?

Donald Trump was elected to the post of President of America on 3 November 2024. Now the swearing-in ceremony of the President is being held on 20 January. The question is why the President of America takes oath after such a long 'gap' after winning the election. What is the reason behind this? What is the reason behind organizing the swearing-in ceremony after two and a half months of winning the election. Actually, this tradition was started by making the 20th amendment in the Constitution of America.

When was the date of 20th January fixed for the oath?

• This did not happen earlier. Before 1937, the US President was sworn in on March 5. Before this, on April 30, 1789, George Washington took the oath of office as the US President while standing on the balcony of the Federal Hall. He was 57 years old at the time.
• George Washington became the President of America for the second time. He took the oath of office as the US President for the second time on March 4, 1793.
• Then James Monroe became the President, he won the presidential election and held his swearing-in ceremony on March 5, 1821.
• After this, an amendment was made in the US constitution. After this 20th amendment, it was decided that from now onwards the inauguration for the post of President will be held on 20th January only.
• After this date was fixed for the swearing-in ceremony for the US President, Franklin Roosevelt was the first US President who took oath on January 20, 1937.

How old is the biblical history of swearing?

America is a Christian majority country. Here, the presidential oath taking and the Bible have a very old history. However, it is also a fact that keeping the Bible during the oath taking is not legally mandatory at all. But the tradition of keeping the Bible is quite old. Just like in India, there has been a tradition of making 'Halwa' during the last phase of presenting the budget. However, it is not mandatory to follow the tradition, because once in 1904, such an occasion came in America, when Theder Roosevelt did not pick up the Bible while taking oath on 14 September 1904.

When the Bible came into the hands of the President's wife

From America's first President George Washington and Abraham Lincoln to Donald Trump, many traditions and rituals were observed during the swearing-in of the President. One of these is the President's wife holding the Bible in her hands. Under this tradition, Lady Bird Johnson was the first woman who held the Holy Bible in her hands during her husband's swearing-in.

Why does it take so much time between getting elected and taking oath?

In our country, be it the President or the Prime Minister, it does not take much time for the swearing-in ceremony after winning the election. But it would be interesting to know why the President of America waits for two and a half months after winning the election for the swearing-in ceremony? The reason for this is that during this time the elected President prepares his entire team and for this he selects those capable persons with whom he has to run the government.

These things related to oath taking are also interesting

What is the timing of transfer of power to the new President?

The transfer of power does not take place on the day of swearing-in. The outgoing President and Vice President remain in office until 11:59 pm on January 20. After this, all administrative powers are transferred to the new administration.  

What will happen if Sunday comes on 20th January?

In America, if the inauguration day i.e. 20th January is a Sunday, then there is a different rule for it. If it is a Sunday, then the swearing-in ceremony is held in a private ceremony. Then the next day, on 21st January, there is a public ceremony. This has happened in the year 2013, when Barack Obama became the President for the second time.

Will Trump take oath with two Bibles, what is the secret behind this?

Will the US President-Elect take oath on January 20 with two Bibles in his hand? This question is also there because the last time Trump took oath as President on January 20, 2017, he had two Bibles with him during the swearing-in ceremony. One of these historical Bibles belonged to former President Abraham Lincoln and the other Bible belonged to Trump's mother, which he got as a gift from his mother.

Lincoln's Bible is in Trump's hands, how old is this Bible

• The Bible that Trump held in his hands during his last oath ceremony is from 1861, which Abraham Lincoln himself held in his hands during his first oath taking ceremony. Therefore, this Bible has historical importance.
• The special thing is that the Bible of Abraham Lincoln which Trump held in his hands during the last oath taking ceremony, was the same Bible which was used by Barack Obama during his oath taking ceremony for the post of President.

Oath taking, celebration and donation

• Big politicians from all over the world will gather for the swearing in ceremony of the US President. In such a situation, many big personalities have donated to make this inauguration day grand. A donation of 200 million dollars is estimated for Trump's swearing in ceremony.
• Earlier, when Joe Biden became president, only $62 million in donations came in. When Trump himself was elected president in 2017, only $107 million was raised.
• Even though the inauguration day is on January 20, the celebration will last for three days. The programs for this will start from January 17 itself. A grand procession will be taken out in Capitol Hills on January 20.