# Presidential oath - "defend and protect the constitution of the United States" **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 14, 2022, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-oath-defend-and-protect-the-constitution-of-the-united-states/967967 "2022-07-14T19:32:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![StraightTalk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straighttalk/32/9982_2.png) [@StraightTalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StraightTalk)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-oath-defend-and-protect-the-constitution-of-the-united-states/967967/1 "2022-07-14T19:32:57Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![irae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f0a364/32.png) [@irae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irae)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-oath-defend-and-protect-the-constitution-of-the-united-states/967967/2 "2022-07-14T20:24:00Z")
Every time a Republican mumbles their oath of office, with the Bible burning their palm, it’s a perjury trap. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-oath-defend-and-protect-the-constitution-of-the-united-states/967967/3 "2022-07-14T20:51:30Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2022, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-oath-defend-and-protect-the-constitution-of-the-united-states/967967/4 "2022-07-15T13:37:38Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![DeadTreasSecretaries](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deadtreassecretaries/32/4817_2.png) [@DeadTreasSecretaries](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadTreasSecretaries)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2022, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-oath-defend-and-protect-the-constitution-of-the-united-states/967967/5 "2022-07-15T13:42:42Z")
He did take that seriously, that’s why he had Nicholas Cage monitored at all times. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2022, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-oath-defend-and-protect-the-constitution-of-the-united-states/967967/6 "2022-07-15T14:42:35Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > 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 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. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-oath-defend-and-protect-the-constitution-of-the-united-states/967967/7 "2022-07-16T04:09:59Z")
_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.