Originally, the pledge was said with the right hand in the so-called "Bellamy Salute," with the hand resting first outward from the chest, then the arm extending out from the body. Once Hitler came to power in Europe, some Americans were concerned that this position of the arm and hand resembled the salute rendered by the Nazi military. In 1942 Congress established the current practice of rendering the pledge with the right hand placed flat over the heart.

Section 7 of the Federal Flag Code states that when not in military uniform, men should remove any head covering with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, thereby resting the hand over the heart. People in military uniform should remain silent, face the flag and render the military salute.

The Flag Code specifies that any future changes to the pledge would have to be with the consent of the President.

The Pledge of Allegiance now reads:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America;
and to the Republic for which it stands,
one Nation under God, indivisible,
With liberty and justice for all.

Note that commas set off the complete phrase "one nation under God". There is no comma after the word "nation."

Therefore, the pledge should not be spoken this way: "...one nation.. .(pause). . .under God..."