President Donald Trump unveiled a leather-bound heirloom in Washington, D.C., on Monday, claiming he’s taken it to two inaugurations —though plenty of critics doubt he actually cracked it open.
The 47th president made headlines when he personally delivered a Bible gifted to him by his late mother to the Museum of the Bible.
“I remember the time she gave it to me,” Trump said during a speech on Sept. 8. “It was always used in both my inaugurations and also displayed at the museum. And I guess it will now be displayed right in the heart of our nation’s capital, right here — and that’s an honor. That’s an honor.”
The commander in chief, born to Fred and Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, spoke emotionally about the Bible’s journey from his childhood in Queens to the highest office in the land.
According to The Hill, Trump received the Revised Standard Version Bible in 1955 to commemorate his Sunday School graduation at First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica, New York, where he took it with him to weekly classes.
The sacred text bears his mother’s handwritten inscription, including his name and childhood address.
The internet had plenty to say about Trump’s big donation, with critics bringing up his past email asking for a donation to help him get into heaven, arguing the timing made the gesture feel less like devotion and more like performance.
“No loss, he never read it anyway,” one YouTube commenter observed beneath video footage of Trump’s museum speech.
Another person wrote with pointed directness, “Guy has never read the bible or gone to church just look at his actions.”
A third person noted, “Just like new …[it’s] never been opened let alone read.”
He didn't put his hand on the bible pic.twitter.com/0zjN3XVDL3
— Melissa Wong (@Melissa_WongMT) September 8, 2025
One X user came after his faithfulness to the bible, pointing to the 2025 inauguration, “He didn’t put his hand on the bible.”
First lady Melania Trump held two Bibles — one given to Donald Trump by his mother as a child, and the Lincoln Bible, used at Abraham Lincoln’s 1861 inauguration.
Observers noted that President Trump didn’t place his hand on the Bible during the ceremony, raising questions about the Bible’s traditional role in the oath. Trump’s right hand was raised while his left remained at his side.
At his first inauguration in 2017, Trump did place his hand on both the family Bible and the Lincoln Bible when taking the oath.
His relationship with scripture extends beyond family heirlooms into commercial ventures.
In March 2024, the former began promoting the $59.99 “God Bless the U.S.A. Bible,” a version of the King James Bible that includes key founding documents and Lee Greenwood’s handwritten chorus. The marketing push demonstrated his ability to blend religious messaging with business opportunities, though critics questioned the sincerity of hawking sacred texts for profit.
Happy Holy Week! Let’s Make America Pray Again. As we lead into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a copy of the God Bless The USA Bible. @TheLeeGreenwood https://t.co/1KK5QgVK85 pic.twitter.com/XoCIeGDpAg
— Fan Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) March 26, 2024
One commenter quipped, “He can’t touch a bible – he just sells them for $99.99,” referencing Trump’s commercial Bible ventures.
His public engagement with biblical content has produced several noteworthy episodes throughout his political career.
Jesus flipped tables at the money changers, Trump sells Bibles for $99.99. pic.twitter.com/8hkYiOGwn1
— PAnnicchino (@PAnnicchino) September 7, 2025
The 2020 photo opportunity at St. John’s Episcopal Church remains particularly memorable, as law enforcement cleared protesters from Lafayette Square using tear gas to facilitate the president’s walk to pose with a Bible. The image, captured during nationwide demonstrations following George Floyd’s death, sparked widespread discussion about the intersection of faith and political messaging.
Trump’s evangelical outreach efforts have occasionally revealed gaps in his own biblical knowledge and just how much he read his mom’s bible when he was a kid.
According to ABC News, during a 2016 Liberty University appearance, he referenced “Two Corinthians” instead of the conventional “Second Corinthians,” immediately signaling unfamiliarity with standard religious terminology. When Bobby Jindal pressed him to identify a meaningful scripture passage, he demurred, later telling “The Brody File” the next month that he favored “Proverbs, the chapter ‘never bend to envy,'” requiring campaign clarification that he meant Proverbs 24:1-2.
Former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Pete Davidson has shared intriguing behind-the-scenes observations from Trump’s 2015 hosting appearance, describing apparent difficulties with script reading during rehearsals.
Davidson claimed Trump would routinely abandon written material, declaring, “Uh, I’m not going to say this. I think I’m gonna say this the way I would’ve said this.”
The comedian recounted how this improvisational approach created confusion during table reads, particularly during a Disneyland skit where Trump allegedly misapplied the phrase “turkey legs” in an unintended context.
“He doesn’t really know how to read, and he loves to improv,” said Davidson.
The museum ceremony underscored Trump’s continued efforts to solidify his religious credentials while navigating lingering questions about authentic spiritual commitment, particularly since he claimed he to be a Christian during his 2024 presidential campaign.
