Former Texas Representative Beto O’Rourke made a striking comparison between the political climate in America in 2025 and Germany in 1933. He shared his views during an appearance on California Governor Gavin Newsom's podcast, "This is Gavin Newsom," where he discussed the ongoing investigation by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton into his Powered by People PAC. The PAC is accused of illegally aiding Texas Democrats in their efforts to leave the state to avoid a quorum during a redistricting dispute.

O’Rourke praised the actions of Texas Democrats, referring to them as some of the "very last lines of defense" for democracy. He expressed concern that the Republican Party, particularly under the influence of former President Donald Trump, would be remembered in a manner similar to the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany.

"I can only imagine the history books written 100 years from now looking at the people of 2025," O’Rourke said. He drew parallels to the early days of Adolf Hitler's chancellorship, noting how quickly democracy was dismantled in Germany. "In 53 days, he has destroyed German democracy," he added.

O’Rourke elaborated on his comparison, stating, "The parliament or the congress, their legislature, passed these enabling laws just like the Republicans are doing in Congress today that said anything you want, you go out and do it." He described the transformation of Hitler from a seemingly ineffectual leader to a dictator, emphasizing that while history may not repeat itself, it often has similar patterns.

This is not the first time O’Rourke has drawn comparisons between Trump and Hitler. In 2019, he criticized Trump’s family separation policy at the border, stating, "Now, I might expect someone to describe another human being as an infestation in the Third Reich. I would not expect it in the United States of America." He defended his remarks by highlighting the dangers of dehumanizing language used against immigrants.

In 2021, O’Rourke warned that the U.S. could resemble Nazi Germany within a decade, despite Trump losing the 2020 election. His comments come amid calls from Texas Senator John Cornyn for the Justice Department to investigate O’Rourke’s PAC for potentially violating laws related to fundraising for Texas Democrats who left the state.