I’m thinking Trump thought this meant the actual document. Not what it stands for.
I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if he offered this as a defense at some point.
Every time a Republican mumbles their oath of office, with the Bible burning their palm, it’s a perjury trap.
Which brings forth the question of why do we even bother having elected officials take an oath if there are no concequences for breaking it? Should it not be a crime unto itself to brazenly break an oath?
I’m sure Donnie simply repeated the words without a moment’s thought as to what he was saying. Oaths, promises, contracts- none of that applies to him.
He did take that seriously, that’s why he had Nicholas Cage monitored at all times.
I think oaths are pretty much a historical artifact of a bygone time. They amount to laws without penalties. Actually I can’t remember anybody seriously discussing consequences for people violating their oaths. The violation gets pointed out, but that’s the end of it.
All the President’s Men ends with audio of Nixon repeating those exactly lines at his second election ceremony, while a teletype machine runs a sequence of news reports that ends with his resignation. But yeah, it feels meaningful, but it isn’t much.