Pope Francis warned about the rise of populism in Europe and possibly America in an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais on Friday.
The pontiff said the rise of populist or anti-establishment leaders throughout Europe and even in the United States could give rise to another leader like Hitler if people aren’t careful.
“In times of crisis, we lack judgment, and that is a constant reference for me,” Pope Francis said in the interview, NBC News reported.
The pope cited Germany in 1933 as an example, saying, “Hitler didn’t steal the power, his people voted for him, and then he destroyed his people.”
In Germany, the Netherlands, and other countries in Europe, nationalist and anti-immigrant leaders are gaining traction as citizens seek candidates who will take action against Muslim immigrants.
When asked specifically about Donald Trump, the pope said, “I don’t like to get ahead of myself nor judge people prematurely. We will see how he acts, what he does, and then I will have an opinion,” NBC reported.
During Trump’s campaign, the pope criticized Trump’s insistence on building a border wall to keep out illegal immigrants, saying that “a person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian,” NBC reported.
After the inauguration on Friday, though, the Pope sent his best wishes to Trump along with prayers “that your decisions will be guided by the rich spiritual and ethical values that have shaped the history of the American people and your nation’s commitment to the advancement of human dignity and freedom worldwide,” according to NBC.
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