trust, but verify

Have faith in someone or something, but be sure to confirm their trustworthiness independently. The phrase comes from the Russian proverb «Доверяй, но проверяй» (doveryai, no proveryai), popularized in English by US President Ronald Reagan. A: "I want to believe her, and I don't want to offend her, but ultimately I'm skeptical." B: "Trust, but verify. Make a phone call to confirm what she's saying is true." Of course I don't doubt that everyone on the team is putting in the hours they are supposed to, but I wouldn't be a very good manager if I didn't make sure. Trust, but verify, right? When it comes to political alliances, the old maxim always stands true—trust, but verify.