Physicists from both New Zealand and Britain have been credited with splitting the atom — but there is consensus that it was not an American.

Donald Trump angered New Zealanders on his first day in office when he asserted that America split the atom, something that Sir Ernest Rutherford accomplished.

Scientists based in Manchester, not the US, made the "key breakthrough" in splitting the atom, despite Donald Trump's claims in his inaugural speech, says a lecturer at one of the city's universities. The 47th US President erroneously listed the feat among his country's achievements during his address in Washington DC, after he was sworn on Monday.

Nelson Mayor Nick Smith said on social media he was "surprised" to hear Trump making claims about the atom in his inauguration speech. "That honour belongs to Nelson's most famous and favourite son Sir Ernest Rutherford. [embed https://www.facebook.com/honnicksmith/posts/pfbid02ndf7Lsz8sizpqQXLgCcRrmE9iAYs7tWmqkYPVFh6LmhUyDGMHuVYMRZixXMv1xfcl

After President Trump's claim, a mayor in New Zealand pointed out that work to split the atom was actually pioneered by physicist Ernest Rutherford.

A New Zealand mayor has invited the American ambassador for a history lesson, after US President Donald Trump appeared to imply it was the US that split the atom – which it is not alone in and certainly wasn't the first to do.

A science-related comment made by President Trump during an inauguration address on Tuesday sparked online backlash, particularly among New Zealanders. Trump said Americans "crossed deserts, scaled mountains,