(CP) President Donald Trump did not place his hand on the two Bibles held by his wife, Melania Trump, when he took his second oath of office to become the 47th president of the United States on Monday.
Some users on social media speculated that Trump did not see the Bibles next to him because Chief Justice John Roberts began the oath of office before all members of the Trump family were in place. By the time Melania had reached Trump, his hand was already raised and he was taking the oath.
The oath, which traditionally takes place at noon exactly, began a minute late.
Roberts flubbed former President Barack Obama's first oath of office in 2009 by reciting the oath incorrectly, prompting the need for Obama to take the oath a second time in a private ceremony at the White House.
The inaugural committee announced in a statement last Friday that the Bibles in the ceremony included the one used by former President Abraham Lincoln to take his oath of office in 1861 on the eve of the Civil War, as well as Trump's own family Bible, both of which he used when he was sworn in for his first term in 2017.
Trump's personal Bible was given to him by his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, in 1955 when he was 9 years old.
Vice President JD Vance was sworn in by Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh on a King James Bible that was owned by his maternal great-grandmother, and was given to him by his "Mamaw" in 2003 when he joined the US Marines.
The inauguration ceremony, which was moved indoors late last week because of cold weather, hit another snag when accompanying music for singer Carrie Underwood failed to play, leading to some awkward moments until Underwood chose to sing "America the Beautiful" a cappella while the audience joined.
Multiple US presidents have taken their oath of office on more than one Bible, including former Presidents Harry S Truman and Richard Nixon.
Often the different Bibles will have both historical and personal meaning, such as when former President Dwight D Eisenhower used his personal Bible and that used by George Washington in 1789.
The Lincoln Bible also featured in Obama's swearing-in during both of his inaugurations in 2009 and 2013.
Trump drew controversy last year when he promoted the "God Bless the USA" Bible, which was inspired by the Lee Greenwood song of the same name and went for $69.99.
A special Inauguration Day edition of the "God Bless the USA" Bible was released earlier this month, also priced at $69.99 plus shipping.
