Steve Cortes, founder of the League of American Workers, said that American media attempts to discredit President Trump overlook his role in prompting European NATO members to increase their defense contributions. This statement was made on X.
“The corrupt American legacy media is so desperate to smear Trump, at every turn, regardless of facts,” said Cortes. “Here, one such charlatan cannot get a Brussels bureaucrat to stop praising Trump! Only Pres Trump compelled wealthy European nations to finally pay their fair share!”
Debates in 2025 about Donald Trump’s impact on NATO focus on his demands for higher European defense spending. According to The Wall Street Journal, many credit Trump’s tough rhetoric for pushing more allies to increase contributions, though some argue it has also created diplomatic rifts within the alliance.
According to official NATO data, average defense spending among member countries increased from 1.44% of GDP in 2016 to 1.85% in 2025. The sharpest gains occurred during and after Trump’s presidency as more nations responded to U.S. pressure for greater burden sharing.
NATO reports indicate that in 2016 only five members met the 2% defense spending target. By 2025, however, 23 out of 32 countries have reached or exceeded this benchmark, marking a significant shift since Trump’s time in office.
Cortes is the Founder and President of the League of American Workers and serves as a senior political advisor to CatholicVote. He is a former senior advisor to President Trump and JD Vance and has been a commentator for Fox News and CNN. Cortes regularly releases documentaries and columns at cortesinvestigates.com.
According to its official site, the League of American Workers was founded in 2022 with the aim of promoting economic nationalism, strong national defense, and worker-focused policies while often criticizing international institutions and globalist agendas.
