Pope Francis on Friday refrained from expressing a view on United States president elect Donald Trump, saying he doesn't "judge" him .
"I don't judge people and politicians, I just seek to understand the suffering their actions cause the poor and the marginalised in society," Francis said.
"I don't judge Trump."
Francis made the comments in an interview with the editor of Italian daily La Repubblica.
Protests have taken place in cities across the United States since Trump's shock victory against Democrat Hillary Clinton in Tuesday's presidential election.
The protesters, mainly young people, say a presidency under the outspoken billionaire would create deep divisions along racial and gender lines.
Earlier this year, Pope Francis suggested Trump was "not Christian" because of his hardline views on immigration, prompting Trump to call the remarks "disgraceful".
A papal spokesman later claimed the pontiff had not made a personal attack on the Republican party candidate.
Trump has proposed building a wall along the border with Mexico, barring Muslims from the US and mass deportations of illegal immigrants, although he has since signalled an apparent softening of his stance.
