On Twitter Thursday morning, President Donald Trump voiced support for the preservation of memorials and statues to Confederate soldiers.
"Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart, with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You can't change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson — who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish! Also the beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced."
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
RELATED: Actually, Robert E. Lee was against erecting Confederate memorials
Trump's comments come less than a week after violence erupted in Charlottesville, Virginia, sparked by the city's decision to remove a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee.
Trump made similar comments in a striking press conference on Tuesday, in which he backtracked and again blamed "both sides" for violence between white supremacists and counter-protestors.