It was raining. Just a light, misting drizzle, but enough to make the podium at the U.S. Capitol feel slick and the air heavy. On January 20, 2017, Donald J. Trump stood before Chief Justice John Roberts. He wasn't just a reality TV star anymore. He was about to become the 45th President of the United States.
People always ask about the Donald Trump taking oath 2017 script like there’s some secret document. Honestly? The oath itself is just 35 words. It is written right into the Constitution. You can’t change it. You can’t ad-lib it—well, you can try, but it won't be official.
The Exact Words of the 2017 Oath
If you're looking for the verbatim transcript of those 60 seconds, it’s remarkably simple. Chief Justice John Roberts led the way, and Trump repeated after him. Here is how that specific exchange went down:
John Roberts: "I, Donald John Trump, do solemnly swear..."
Donald Trump: "I, Donald John Trump, do solemnly swear..."
John Roberts: "...that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States..."
Donald Trump: "...that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States..."
John Roberts: "...and will to the best of my ability..."
Donald Trump: "...and will to the best of my ability..."
John Roberts: "...preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Donald Trump: "...preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
John Roberts: "So help you God?"
Donald Trump: "So help me God."
That was it. The moment he finished "So help me God," the transition was complete.
Why the "So Help Me God" Part Matters
You’ve probably noticed that the "So help me God" part isn't actually in the Constitution. Article II, Section 1, Clause 8 is where the oath lives, and it ends at "Constitution of the United States."
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So why do they say it? Tradition. George Washington supposedly started it, though historians argue about that. Regardless, almost every president since has added it. For Trump, a man who relied heavily on the evangelical vote, skipping those four words was never an option. It signaled a specific type of allegiance that his base was looking for.
The Two Bibles
Trump didn't just use one Bible. He used two. One was his personal Bible—a gift from his mother when he graduated from primary Sunday school in 1955. The other? The Lincoln Bible. This is the same one Abraham Lincoln used for his first inauguration in 1861.
It was a heavy choice. By using the Lincoln Bible, Trump was trying to bridge the gap between his "America First" populism and the historical weight of the Civil War era. He wanted to look like a unifier, even if the atmosphere that day felt anything but unified.
The Speech That Followed the Script
While the oath is a fixed script, the Inaugural Address is where the "real" script lives. This is what people usually mean when they search for the Donald Trump taking oath 2017 script. They’re looking for the "American Carnage" speech.
It was short. Only about 16 minutes. But it was brutal.
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Unlike Obama or Bush, who usually opted for soaring rhetoric about hope or liberty, Trump went for a darker, more populist tone. He spoke about "rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones." He talked about "the crime and the gangs and the drugs."
"This American carnage stops right here and stops right now."
That line became the defining phrase of the entire day. It wasn't just a speech; it was a declaration of war against the "establishment" sitting right behind him on that stage. You could see the discomfort on the faces of the former presidents. It was basically a "you're fired" to the entire political class of D.C.
Key Themes in the Script
- The Transfer of Power: He made a huge point of saying power wasn't just moving from one party to another, but from Washington D.C. back to "the people."
- America First: This was the first time this phrase was used as an official foreign policy doctrine from the podium.
- Protectionism: He promised that "protection will lead to great prosperity and strength."
What Most People Get Wrong About the Day
There is a weird misconception that the oath was "flubbed" like Obama's first one in 2009. In 2009, John Roberts actually misplaced an adverb, and Obama had to retake the oath later at the White House just to be safe.
In 2017? It was smooth. No stumbles. No missteps. The drama didn't come from the mechanics of the swearing-in; it came from the content of the address that followed.
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Another thing: the crowd size. You remember the "alternative facts" controversy with Sean Spicer? That all started right here. The script of the day was quickly overshadowed by the argument over how many people actually stood on the National Mall.
Taking Action: How to Use This Information
If you are a student of history or a writer looking to reference this moment, precision is your best friend. Don't just quote the "American Carnage" part. Look at the structural shifts in how he addressed the audience.
- Analyze the "We" vs "They" dynamic: In the 2017 script, Trump uses "we" to refer to himself and the voters, while "they" almost always refers to the politicians in Washington.
- Verify the Bible details: If you're writing about this, mention the 1955 personal Bible. It adds a layer of personal history that many people overlook.
- Check the 12:00 PM rule: By law, the term of the preceding president ends at noon. Trump actually took the oath a few minutes before noon. It’s a fun technicality that shows how the ceremony and the law don't always align perfectly.
The Donald Trump taking oath 2017 script remains one of the most polarizing documents in modern American history. It set the stage for four years of "disruption." Whether you loved it or hated it, you can't deny that it changed the way presidents talk to the country.
To get the most out of your research, I recommend comparing this transcript to his 2025 speech. You’ll see some fascinating echoes and some very deliberate shifts in how he defines "the people" after a four-year hiatus.
Next Steps
Check out the National Archives for the scanned physical copies of the speech notes. Seeing the handwritten edits—where he crossed out words and added emphasis—gives you a much better feel for his speaking style than a clean digital transcript ever could.