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President Donald Trump stood just to his vice presidents right as Mike Pence delivered a ceremonial oath of office to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. The same scene played out eight days later as Pence officially swore in Attorney General Jeff Sessionson Thursday.

One of Pences most regular duties, three weeks into the Trump administrations tenure, is introducing his boss before public remarks. Almost as often, though, Pence is the oath-administrant in chief.

The White House, on both occasions, announced beforehand that the president would merely participate in the Oval Office swearing-in ceremonies. Both times, Trump delivered remarks, with his main task appearing to be assuring the world that Tillerson and Sessions would respectively remake global diplomacy and domestic law enforcement.

As his second in commandadministered the oath to Tillerson, Trump, who had just spent hours at Dover Air Force Base with the family of the first U.S. service memberkilled under his watch, stared downward, his mind seemingly elsewhere. While Pence delivered the oath to Sessions, Trumps head swiveled back and forth as both men spoke.

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In fact, the vice president has carried out the ceremonial or official oath duties for all eight of Trumps Cabinet members shortly after they have been confirmed by the Senate.

Like with Tillerson and Sessions, Trump stood nearby at the Pentagon when his No. 2 swore in James Mattis as Defense secretary. Each Cabinet member then spoke from a podium affixed with the mostly blue presidential seal.

Pence did the honors solo for Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

Those five had to settle for the white vice presidential seal on the podium.

Several presidential scholars acknowledged that it seems Pence is swearing in high-level officials at a fast clip, but they said it is standard vice presidentialbusiness.

The vice president serving as oath-giver is not new to the Trump administration.

For instance, when it was time to swear in Hillary Clinton as secretary of State in early 2009, the still-new Obama administration had Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. do the honors. The same was true that year when it was time for Eric H. Holder Jr. to state his intention to uphold and defend the Constitution as the attorney general.

The practice was also common during Obamas second term, with Biden swearing in Holders successor, Loretta Lynch. The 47th vice president did the honors again in the Oval Office with Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew, though Obama, like Trump recently, stood nearby.

But, unlike Trump during his first three weeks, Obama sometimes administered oaths of office. In April 2009, for instance, the 44th president did so after his final Cabinet member, Kathleen Sebelius at Health and Human Services, was confirmed.

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Several Republicansenators said there wasno reason to think any of the secretaries would like a distance from their bombastic boss.

Weve all expected that the vice president would have an active role, said Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina. I think its part of that.

Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said Pence taking the lead on the oaths is probably just the role the vice president plays, other reasons have to do with logistics we all want them to be sworn in as quickly as possible.

Nah, I dont buy it, Tillis said when asked if he believes any Cabinet member might prefer a picture with Pence rather than Trump. They were his nominees. Hes the one who put them forward.

Top Democrats also say vice presidentshave performed the task for years.

Senate Armed Services ranking member Jack Reed of Rhode Island said he can recall some being sworn in by the general counsel of their department.

Ive seen vice presidents do it before, said Appropriations ranking member Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont, who has been in the Senate since the Ford administration (1975). I can remember Vice President [George H.W.] Bush, Vice President [Walter] Mondale, all the vice presidents, doing this. If they wanted distance, they wouldnt have accepted the nomination.

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Mike Pence Is the Oath-Administrant in Chief - Roll Call