Trump on Netanyahu and alliances: "I don't trust anyone"

• US President Donald Trump said he could have pardoned himself before leaving office in 2021 but chose not to because he believed he had done nothing wrong.
• In an interview with Newsmax host Rob Finnerty, Trump defended the breadth of presidential pardon powers, criticized his political opponents and praised his administration’s record.

US President Donald Trump said, “I don't trust anybody,” when asked whether he trusts ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, offering a brief but pointed response about his approach to trust and political relationships.

The exchange came during a sit-down interview with Newsmax host Rob Finnerty, in which Trump also discussed presidential pardon powers, his decision not to pardon himself before leaving office in 2021 and his administration’s record.

Although Trump did not elaborate on his response about Netanyahu, the remark came against the backdrop of close political coordination between Washington and ‘Israel’. His statement did not clarify whether he had specific reservations about Netanyahu or was expressing a broader distrust of others.

During the interview, Trump reflected on whether he should have issued himself a presidential pardon before leaving office at the end of his first term in January 2021.

“I could have given myself a pardon the last time I left office,” Trump said, adding that he chose not to because he believed he had “done nothing wrong.”

When asked whether he regretted that decision, Trump expressed satisfaction with his choice while acknowledging the legal challenges that followed his departure from the White House.

Trump described the presidential pardon power as “the most powerful thing a president has” and pointed to former President Joe Biden’s use of the authority as an example of its broad scope.

The US Constitution grants presidents the power to issue pardons for federal offenses, except in cases of impeachment. Whether a sitting president can pardon himself remains an unresolved constitutional question.

Trump also emphasized his commitment to protecting members of his administration and political supporters from what he characterized as politically motivated legal proceedings.

“I don't want to see my people go through... years of nonsense, higher lawyers, and everything else,” Trump said, criticizing political opponents on the left as “lunatics.”

His remarks reflected his longstanding criticism of investigations and legal cases involving him and members of his political circle. Trump has repeatedly argued that legal proceedings against him and his allies are politically motivated, while the cases themselves have involved separate allegations and legal questions.

The president also defended his record in office, claiming his administration had accomplished things that no previous administration had achieved.

Trump described his presidency as “a great presidency,” reiterating his positive assessment of his time in office.

The interview covered Trump's views on personal trust, executive authority, political loyalty and his administration's achievements. His response to the question about Netanyahu, however, remained brief, with no further explanation of whether his general statement about trusting nobody reflected his relationship with the ‘Israeli’ prime minister.