One of the most debated questions in Germany right now is how to face United States President Donald Trump eye to eye. To achieve this, Europe’s left and right must unite, according to former German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg.

Regarding Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who are among the most prominent right-wing leaders in Europe, Guttenberg said in an interview on January 21: “Some of us will probably say that we can’t be united because we have Orbán and we have Meloni. [However,] we will probably even need Orbán and Meloni in order to find solutions in the European interests that also affect them.” For example, Europe could face tariffs from the U.S., which would also affect Hungary.

In the past, Orbán has tried to stay close to Russia. Trump’s threat to further sanction Hungary’s eastern neighbor may force Orbán closer to the European Union. Trump could achieve something the EU has struggled with since its founding: uniting its factions.

The embrace of Orbán is concerning. At the height of the coronavirus crisis in 2020, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote:

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is also growing more autocratic in this crisis. Hungary was only mildly affected by coronavirus, yet on March 30, Hungary’s parliament gave Orbán dictatorial powers. Now parliament is closed, elections are canceled, and anyone spreading “false” information can be imprisoned for five years. Democracy has been replaced by rule of decree.

The Guardian wrote that the new law gives Orbán “what amounts to one-man rule in an EU state.” Richard Palmer, assistant managing editor for theTrumpet.com, formulated it more clearly: “Coronavirus Brings the EU Its First Dictator.”

Orbán’s power grab may affect the whole Continent. “Hungary’s prime minister has abolished democracy,” Spiegel Online warned on April 3. “If the EU does not act, authoritarianism will spread in Europe.” But the EU did not act to punish Orbán—it did nothing. And what Spiegel warned of is exactly what the Bible says will happen: Authoritarianism will spread in Europe!

Meloni’s party, the Brothers of Italy, traces its roots to the Italian Social Movement, a party founded in 1946 by members of Mussolini’s Republican Fascist Party. Some feared her election would further fragment the alliance. But in a crisis, fascists are welcomed as an asset.

Just after Meloni won the election in 2022, Mr. Flurry wrote in “Fascism Reawakens in Italy”:

Germany started World Wars i and ii. Yet Italy also played an important role in the Second World War, during which Adolf Hitler was allied with Benito Mussolini, the leader of Italy.

Mussolini called his Italian empire the Holy Roman Empire. He saw that his alliance with Hitler had a long history; it tied back to an empire that has risen repeatedly in Europe.

We have been forecasting for over 75 years that this same empire will rise once more. When it does, it will launch a war even more destructive than World War ii.

This empire took a major step forward in Italy’s recent election. Yet nobody is talking about it! … Meloni will be Italy’s next prime minister. And she has a direct connection with Benito Mussolini.

Many believe Europe may need more authoritarianism to get ahead. The same people believe Europe needs to drastically increase military spending. In the interview, Guttenberg advocated for spending 3.5 percent of gross domestic product on defense.

Thousands of years ago, the Bible prophesied both of these trends.

The late Herbert W. Armstrong explained in The Proof of the Bible how the fulfillment of a prophecy in Daniel 2 can be traced down to our day; the next event in this prophecy is the rise of 10 kings.

Revelation 17 speaks of these kings, or authoritarian leaders, who will unite their military strength: “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast” (verses 12-13).

The Holy Roman Empire of Mussolini and Hitler is prophesied to rise once more before Jesus Christ returns (verse 14). As Daniel 2:44 notes: “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.”

History reveals we can expect these leaders to rise in modern Europe. Today’s loosely united EU will transform into a strong empire of 10 kings. These kings will give their strength to the beast—prophetic language for an empire and its ruler.

The Trumpet has pointed to Guttenberg as the most likely man to lead such an alliance. To learn why, read Mr. Flurry’s article “After Trump’s Victory, Watch Germany.”