Fact check...

Trudeau points out that Canada has "consistently stepped up" for NATO

By Sheena McKenzie and Meg Wagner

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that while Canada has not yet reached the 2% contribution to NATO, it continually "stepped up" by sending troops to every NATO deployment.

President Trump — who has frequently criticized NATO members for not contributing their "fair" share to the alliance — was asked if there should be a plan to get Canada to 2%.

"We'll put them on a payment plan, you know? I'm sure the prime minister would love that," Trump said.

Trudeau said defense spending is up, and Canada is currently now close to 1.4%.

"They're getting there. They know it's important to do that. And their economy is doing well. They'll get there quickly I think," Trump said.

That's when Trudeau brought up Canadian deployments:

"Canada has been there for every NATO deployment. We have consistently stepped up, sent our troops into harm's way," he said. "We continue to step up — like most of our allies. There are some countries that, even though they might reach the 2%, don't step up nearly as much, and I think it's important to look at what is actually being done, and the United States and all NATO allies know that Canada is a solid, reliable partner and will continue to defend NATO and defend our interests.