‘Disgraceful’: Conspiracies rage as Donald Trump appears to take oath without placing hand on Bible

A photo has emerged of Donald Trump taking the oath of office alongside his wife Melania as she held two Bibles. One detail has triggered a frenzy online.

Fiery debate has erupted over whether or not Donald Trump placed his hand on the Bible as he was sworn into office.

First lady Melania Trump held a stack of two Bibles as her husband was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States inside the Capitol Rotunda on Monday morning.

One Bible was given to Trump by his mother in 1955 while the other was first used by President Abraham Lincoln during his swearing-in in 1861.

But Trump, 78, appeared to stand with his left arm down by his side as he raised his right hand and recited the oath of office.

There is no legal requirement for the president to place their hand on the Bible, only for them to recite the oath.

Donald Trump appeared to forget to put his hand on the Bible while he was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. Picture: Morry Gash / AFP

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Social media was quickly flooded with conspiracies.

“So much for One Nation Under God,” one man posted on X.

“President Donald Trump did NOT put his hand on the Bible while being sworn in, s***’s about to get very unholy,” added another.

Others called out Chief Justice Roberts, accusing him of “rushing the oath” before Melania had a chance to reach her husband.

“Chief Justice John Roberts needs to stop swearing in our Presidents. Too many mistakes,” one furious US woman wrote on X.

“Today, he should have respectfully paused until beginning. He did not allow Melania to bring the Bibles so that the swearing in was performed with Donald Trump’s hand on them.

“Family was scrambling to take their place. This is our President. Justice Roberts owes the Trump family an apology.”

“Chief Justice Roberts rushing the oath before Melania got to President Trump without his hand on the Bible is absolutely disgraceful. Shame on Roberts,” added another.

Social media was flooded with conspiracies. Picture: Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AFP

‘From this moment on, America’s decline is over’

President Trump pronounced the start of a “golden age” in the United States, using his inaugural speech to lash out at what he described as a “broken” society that he would rescue.

“The golden age of America begins right now. From this day forward our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world,” Trump said in the US Capitol, where his inauguration was held indoors due to chilly weather.

“For many years, a radical and corrupt establishment has extracted power and wealth from our citizens, while the pillars of our society lay broken and seemingly in complete disrepair,” he said.

“From this moment on, America’s decline is over.”

The Republican - at 78 now the oldest person ever to take the presidential oath - was set to kickstart his new term with a blitz of immediate orders on immigration and the US culture wars.

“I will declare a national emergency at our southern border with Mexico,” Trump said to loud cheers from supporters, vowing to deport “millions and millions” of illegal immigrants.

Trump had traveled to the Capitol with outgoing Democratic president Joe Biden, who followed tradition by offering his successor tea at the White House.

“Welcome home,” Biden had said to Trump as he and First Lady Jill Biden greeted the incoming president and his wife Melania at the White House.

Trump did place his hand on a stack of Bibles during his 2017 inauguration. Picture: Mark Ralston / AFP

Trump’s powerful inner circle

Trump was a political outsider at his first inauguration in 2017 as the 45th president, but this time around he is surrounded by America’s wealthy and powerful.

The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon chief Jeff Bezos and Google CEO Sundar Pichai all had prime seats in the Capitol alongside Trump’s family and cabinet members.

Musk, who bankrolled Trump’s election campaign to the tune of a quarter of a billion dollars and promotes far-right policies on the X social network, will lead a cost-cutting drive in the new administration.

While Trump refused to attend Biden’s 2021 inauguration after falsely claiming electoral fraud by the Democrat, this time Biden has been keen to restore the sense of tradition.

Biden joined former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton at the Capitol. Former first ladies Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush were there but ex-first lady Michelle Obama pointedly stayed away.

- With AFP