Trump's Inauguration Speech Angers New Zealanders Over Atom-Splitting Claim

Donald Trump inaccurately credited the United States with splitting the atom, a scientific milestone achieved by New Zealand-born physicist Sir Ernest Rutherford.

During his second-term inauguration speech, Donald Trump claimed that Americans 'split the atom,' sparking backlash from New Zealanders.
Sir Ernest Rutherford, a New Zealander, is widely credited with being the first to split the atom in 1917 while working in the UK.
New Zealand's Nelson Mayor Nick Smith expressed surprise at Trump's statement and plans to invite the U.S. ambassador to visit Rutherford's memorial.
Trump's remarks triggered a wave of online posts from New Zealanders highlighting Rutherford's contributions to nuclear physics and his legacy.
This is not the first time Trump has made this claim; he previously attributed the achievement to the U.S. during a 2020 speech at Mount Rushmore.