'You can't change history, but you can learn from it': Trump says he's sad to see Confederate statues being removed

President Donald Trump came out against the removal of Confederate statues in a series of tweets on Thursday, saying he was "sad" to see the US' "history and culture ... being ripped apart."

"Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments," Trump tweeted.

"You can't change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson - who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!" Trump tweeted.

The president continued his tweetstorm, writing, "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!"

Since the deadly White nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia last weekend, many cities have sped up or announced plans to remove Confederate statues and monuments.

At a press conference Tuesday, the president defended demonstrators who went to Charlottesville to protest the removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee.

"So this week it's Robert E. Lee," Trump said. "I notice that Stonewall Jackson's coming down," he added, referring to another famous Confederate commander.

"I wonder: Is it George Washington next week, and is it Thomas Jefferson the week after?" Trump said. "You know, you really do have to ask yourself - where does it stop?"