# trust, but verify

> English word · Phrase

## Definitions
1. One should have general faith in the benevolent intentions of others, but ultimately one can only rely on things that have been verified.

## Etymology
Calque of Russian доверя́й, но проверя́й (doverjáj, no proverjáj). Often attributed to Vladimir Lenin, although no written evidence exists. Popularized in English by Ronald Reagan in the context of nuclear disarmament.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/trust-but-verify