Trump decries Robert E. Lee statue removal as destroying U.S. history and culture

Former President Donald Trump denounced the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond, Va., on Wednesday, saying that the "Radical Left" is destroying both the "good and bad" of American history and culture.

Trump released the statement through his Save America PAC on Wednesday:

"Just watched as a massive crane took down the magnificent and very famous statue of 'Robert E. Lee On His Horse' in Richmond, Virginia. It has long been recognized as a beautiful piece of bronze sculpture. To add insult to injury, those who support this 'taking' now plan to cut it into three pieces, and throw this work of art into storage prior to its complete desecration. 

"Robert E. Lee is considered by many Generals to be the greatest strategist of them all. President Lincoln wanted him to command the North, in which case the war would have been over in one day. Robert E. Lee instead chose the other side because of his great love of Virginia, and except for Gettysburg, would have won the war. He should be remembered as perhaps the greatest unifying force after the war was over, ardent in his resolve to bring the North and South together through many means of reconciliation and imploring his soldiers to do their duty in becoming good citizens of this Country. 

"Our culture is being destroyed and our history and heritage, both good and bad, are being extinguished by the Radical Left, and we can't let that happen! If only we had Robert E. Lee to command our troops in Afghanistan, that disaster would have ended in a complete and total victory many years ago. What an embarrassment we are suffering because we don't have the genius of a Robert E. Lee!"

The statue was removed following Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's announcement to take it down days after George Floyd's death last year. The removal was delayed for over a year by lawsuits of residents who opposed it.