Trump calls out NYT for misstating NATO as North American Treaty Organisation, says 'very interesting mistake'

US President Donald Trump on Saturday pointed out that New York Times newspaper had incorrectly referred to NATO as the “North American Treaty Organization", calling it a notable error. Trump stated that the outlet’s hiring and educational standards had deteriorated and urged a return to “All the News That’s Fit to Print", while reiterating his “Make America Great Again” message.

He called out the newspaper, claiming the publication had lost credibility due to what he described as repeated “fake news” attacks against him, which he said had led to a sharp decline in its circulation.

Trump took to Truth Social and said, “The Failing New York Times, whose lack of credibility, and their constant Fake News attacks on your favorite President, ME, has caused its circulation to absolutely PLUMMET, referred to our severely weakened and extremely unreliable “partner,”NATO, as the North American Treaty Organization.”

“The correct name is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization - A very interesting mistake! The hiring and educational standards have gone way down at the NYT. Bring back, “ALL THE NEWS THAT’S FIT TO PRINT” and, Make America Great Again!” he added.

NYT responds

The New York Times said on X that a correction would be published in its next print edition.

“A correction will appear in tomorrow's print edition: “A headline with an article on Friday about President Trump’s threats to leave NATO misstated the full name of the body. It is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, not the North American Treaty Organization”,” NYTimes Communications wrote on X.

NATO chief to meet Trump next week

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is set to hold a high-stakes meeting with Trump next week, as tensions grow over Washington’s dissatisfaction with what it sees as limited support from the alliance on the Iran conflict, as per ANI.

According to a statement released on Friday, Rutte is also scheduled to meet Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth during his visit. The talks come at a sensitive moment, with Trump openly questioning the relevance of the decades-old military alliance.

The US president has signaled he is considering pulling out of NATO, slamming European members for what he describes as insufficient backing of his military efforts. He has specifically accused them of limiting access to their bases and showing reluctance to lead operations aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

NATO confirmed that Secretary General Mark Rutte will meet Trump on April 8, followed by talks with Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth. Rutte is also scheduled to deliver a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Institute on April 9.

In an interview published on Wednesday, Trump informed The Telegraph, "I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger." Since the outbreak of hostilities in Iran, he has repeatedly targeted European allies for failing to back the joint military operations involving Israel.

A key source of the president’s frustration has been the reluctance of long-standing allies to take action in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil shipments that has effectively been shut by Iran since the war began.

Suggestions that Washington could withdraw from the alliance have raised serious concerns across Europe. In response to Trump’s remarks, Finnish President Alexander Stubb held a phone call with the US president on Wednesday, describing it as a “constructive discussion” about the future of the alliance.