WELLINGTON, New Zealand — In recent announcements made during his inauguration, U.S. President Donald Trump made several statements that sparked frustration among New Zealanders, particularly regarding his assertion that Americans were responsible for splitting the atom. Many New Zealanders pointed out that this significant scientific achievement is predominantly attributed to one of their own celebrated figures, Ernest Rutherford.
Rutherford, who has earned accolades as the father of nuclear physics, is lauded for being the first individual to intentionally split the atom through a nuclear reaction he initiated in 1917 while affiliated with a university in Manchester, England. His groundbreaking work in this field laid the foundation for further advancements in nuclear science.
Additionally, the milestone is shared with English scientist John Douglas Cockroft and Ireland’s Ernest Walton, who conducted their own research at a laboratory in Britain established by Rutherford back in 1932. However, this achievement is not commonly associated with American scientists.
Among his declarations, Trump expressed pride in U.S. accomplishments throughout history, claiming that Americans have “crossed deserts, scaled mountains, braved untold dangers,” and “split the atom.” This statement drew attention from various quarters, including Nick Smith, a New Zealand politician and the mayor of Nelson, who pointed out Rutherford’s contributions in a response on Facebook. Smith noted that Rutherford’s significant research achievements were made at institutions in the UK and Canada rather than America.
He extended an invitation to the next U.S. ambassador to New Zealand, suggesting that they visit Rutherford’s memorial in his birthplace to ensure accurate representation of the history surrounding the discovery of the atom’s structure.
The website of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of History and Heritage Resources appropriately credits Cockroft and Walton for the splitting of the atom, though it acknowledges Rutherford’s important earlier contributions to the understanding of atomic structure, including the identification of the proton and the hypothesis of a central nucleus.
Trump’s remarks led to an outpouring of commentary online from New Zealanders, many of whom respect Rutherford’s work, which is part of school curricula in New Zealand. His legacy can be seen in the naming of streets, buildings, and institutions after him, as well as on the country’s 100-dollar banknote.
Ben Uffindell, the editor of a satirical news outlet in New Zealand, humorously chimed in on social media, stating, “Okay, I’ve gotta call time. Trump just claimed America split the atom. That’s THE ONE THING WE DID.”
