It’s a tradition that just seems right.
Having been unanimously elected as the first President of the United States, George Washington risked his reputation, as he told this friend Henry Lee, ‘for the good of my country.’
It was now up to the new President to strengthen this new government by maintaining with all his effort the powers the Constitution assigned to his office. Knowing that this undertaking was to be one of his greatest challenges, he would draw upon the opportunity of divine strength.
When Washington was sworn in as President on April 30, 1789, he raised his right arm to the square. After repeating the oath of office:
“I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
he spontaneously added the words, ’so help me God’.
Washington's Inauguration
Ever since, those few, powerful words, ’so help me God’ have been considered a part of the Presidential oath of office.
