Chief of Staff John Kelly Praises Confederate General Robert Lee, Says Civil War Was Caused By Lack Of Compromise

By: Kayla Pasacreta

White House Chief of Staff General John Kelly is under fire for recent comments that seem to dismiss and misunderstand why the Civil War was started. In an interview with Fox News' Laura Ingraham, John Kelly was questioned about his thoughts on the removal of Confederate monuments, and unsurprisingly, his views lined up with other members of the Trump Administration.

John Kelly went on to express that Confederate General Robert E, Lee was a 'very honorable man'  who "gave up his country to fight for his state...it was state first back in those days," While these comments may be an attempt to humanize the Confederate figurine, many are accusing Kelly of confusing fighting for slavery with brave patriotism. Ingram cosigned on Kelly's comments, calling the statues "little markers of history."

And, in true Trump-esque, Kelly doubled down on his comments by saying men and women 'of great faith' fought on 'both sides'. Ah, those darn good-hearted Confederates.

Twitter is not at all here for Kelly's comments.

John Kelly, WH Chief of Staff, genuinely just blamed the US Civil War on a "lack of ability to compromise."#AlternateHistory pic.twitter.com/w3hoY4m1H2

— Mr. Singh (@Chindiazindabad) October 31, 2017

The Civil War started because of the expansion of slavery not the failure to compromise. They’d literally been compromising on slavery since the Declaration of Independence.

— jelani cobb (@jelani9) October 31, 2017

Writer Ta-Nehisi Coates pulled out all of the receipts in a lengthy Twitter thread.

People out here asking me for "hope." Meanwhile, the adult in the room thinks the Easter Bunny caused the Civil War...

— Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

Come on, Kelly - this predictable backlash could have been avoided.

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