Trump says he doesn't trust 'anybody' in politics when asked about Netanyahu

WASHINGTON, DC: When Newsmax’s Rob Finnerty asked President Donald Trump if he trusts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the 80-year-old didn’t hold back.

It was a straightforward answer, and he didn’t stop there. Trump talked up his relationship with Netanyahu and pointed to the cooperation they’ve had in the past. The interview happened at the White House on Thursday, October 15, right as speculation swirled about Trump’s stance on Netanyahu, especially with Israel’s election coming up on October 27.

Trump says he has a 'very good relationship' with Netanyahu but trusts nobody in politics

Asked directly whether he trusted the Israeli leader, Trump replied, “I don’t trust anybody, honestly. In the world of politics, I don’t trust anybody.”

Despite the pointed question, Trump did not single out Netanyahu for criticism, instead describing their relationship as “very good” and highlighting their previous successes together, including cooperation during the war against Iran.

“Look, I've had a very good relationship with him. We've had good success together,” Trump said.

"We had a very successful partnership, you know, in terms of a military partnership," he further noted. 

The question comes as Trump has recently been pressed several times on whether he will make an endorsement ahead of Israel’s October 27 election, which he has declined to say if he’ll do. 

The conversation also happened while Washington and Jerusalem were still hashing out their positions on Iran and whether to restart military operations.

According to Axios, as of Tuesday, Trump and Netanyahu had already talked about possible joint strikes targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites.

Still, Trump hasn’t promised to go back to military action. The ongoing talks have sparked debates about timing, especially with the Israeli election right around the corner and the US midterms coming up.

Axios quoted White House officials, who say Trump won’t launch an attack on Iran before the midterms.

Trump stops short of endorsing Netanyahu for October 27 election

So far, Trump has not endorsed Netanyahu in Israel's October 27 Knesset election, even though the two have a close political and military relationship.

“I haven’t thought about it. Maybe I’ll do something. We may endorse somebody in these elections,” the Republican leader told reporters before departing Washington for Alaska.

Netanyahu has on many occasions referred to his close ties to Trump as a major factor in his political position. However, since the vote on October 27 is drawing near, Trump's choice not to give his support means that his stance on the Israeli election is now uncertain.