Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president on Monday, and as is often the case with Trump, things were not normal. Here are just a few of the strange things the entire world saw as Trump took the oath of office.
Trump didn’t put his hand on the Bible
When Trump took the oath, he never placed his hand on the Bible held by his wife Melania Trump. By contrast, when Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama took the oath, they put their hands on the Bible.
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Trump in the dumps
On his way in to take his oath, Trump didn’t look particularly happy to be there. He slowly walked in with a demeanor more appropriate for a funeral than a triumphant political victory.
Trump arrives for his second inauguration— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-01-20T16:38:11.086Z
Trump misses his kiss with Melania
The customary kiss for the presidential spouse was also a misfire. Perhaps due to the gigantic size of her hat, Trump gave his wife, Melania Trump, a mere air kiss instead of the real thing.
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Oligarchs up front
Instead of congressional leaders, the people with the closest seats to Trump’s ceremony were billionaires who have bent the knee to him. They included co-president Elon Musk (the richest person in the world), Amazon and Washington Post head Jeff Bezos, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg (fresh off of unleashing hate speech across his sites), and Apple head Tim Cook.
Elon Musk investigates the ceiling
Elon Musk gave a close inspection of the ceiling of the Capitol, instead of keeping his eyes on the ceremony.
Chesty singing
Opera singer Christopher Macchio sung as JD Vance entered the Rotunda to be sworn in. Macchio appeared to have left his tie at home and shared his bare chest with the world.
The last time Trump occupied the White House for for years, it was an endless cavalcade of weirdness that turned out deadly for thousands of people. In his first day in office, it is clear the weirdness has returned.
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