In a series of tweets, President Donald Trump lamented efforts to remove Confederate statues and monuments. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
Amid backlash over his outward defense of white nationalist groups earlier this week, President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter Thursday, Aug. 17, how “sad” he was to see American history torn apart by the toppling “of our beautiful statues and monuments.”
The president’s sentiments seemingly mirrored those of white nationalists and Confederate apologists who’ve pushed back against efforts to remove monuments honoring Confederate leaders. The white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., that left one person dead and 19 others injured Saturday, Aug. 12, was organized to protest the removal of a statue commemorating Gen. Robert E. Lee.
Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017
…can't change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson – who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish! Also…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017
…the beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017
Leaders in several state across the U.S. have called for the removal of Confederate monuments in the wake of the Charlottesville unrest.
Trump called the efforts “foolish.”
