Trump made his comments on October 24 during early voting for the 2026 midterms in Palm Beach, Florida . President Donald Trump was fact-checked on social media after he claimed his uncle invented the radar.
The video of Trump’s speech, giving an update on the US conflict with Iran , was shared widely online. During the video, Trump named his uncle John Trump adding that he’s from MIT. However, the president was quickly fact-checked on social media as many pointed out that John Trump had not, in fact, invented the radar. Notably, Trump has brought up his uncle John G Trump in the past as well. In June this year, MIT put out a post about Dr John Trump, recognizing him as the ‘president’s uncle’. “A newspaper essay about the president’s uncle, MIT Prof. John G. Trump, tells the extraordinary history of his role in D-Day. But there is much more to the story. We’d like to share more about Prof. J.G. President Trump, during his first term in office, has brought up his uncle’s knowledge of nuclear physics to justify his views on nuclear issues, such as the Iran deal and North Korea,.
He spoke of him during a 2024 New Hampshire rally when he was running for president. Prior to this, Trump reportedly mentioned uncle John in interviews, speeches and debates, as per a 2016 New Yorker article. Dr John Trump passed away in 1985.
With wife Melania at his side, Trump said “My uncle invented radar! Can you believe it?,” adding “He’ll probably be angry that I knocked out their [Iran’s] radar. Trump as we knew him—a scientist, engineer, educator, entrepreneur, patriot, and MIT legend whose work still impacts us all today,” they wrote on X.
