After White House Chief of Staff John Kelly on Monday night said that the Civil War was the result of “the lack of an ability to compromise” and called Confederal Gen. Robert E. Lee an “honorable man,” author Ta-Nehisi Coates tore into Kelly on Twitter.

Coates (pictured above) argued that in the years leading up to the Civil War, as well as after the Civil War, American leaders made several compromises in an attempt to win over slave owners.

Regarding John Kelly's creationist theorizing on Lee and the Civil War, its worth pointing out a few things. — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

Notion that Civil War resulted from a lack of compromise is belied by all the compromises made on enslavement from America’s founding. — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

I mean, like, it’s called The three fifths compromise for a reason. But it doesn’t stand alone. Missouri Compromise. Kansas-Nebraska Act. — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

Lincoln’s own platform was a compromise. Lincoln was not an abolitionist. He proposed to limit slavery’s expansion, not end it. — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

During the Civil War, Lincoln repeatedly sought to compromise by paying reparations–to slaveholders–and shipping blacks out the country. — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

Explicit compromises don’t even get at it. Historian James McPherson points to implicit compromises with slavery.https://t.co/Mx7nXP4isn pic.twitter.com/wCDkNYOIea — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

Spirit of “compromise” continued–Lincoln asked only 10 percent of voters in rebel states to sign loyalty oath for readmission to Union. — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

“Compromise” continued long after Lincoln’s death. Compromise of 1877 led to explicit White Supremacist rule in the South for a century. — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

As historian David Blight pointed out “compromise” with white supremacy was how the country achieved reunion. — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

Shocking that someone charged with defending their country, in some profound way, does not comprehend the country they claim to defend. — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

Coates also criticized Kelly for arguing that we should not apply today’s standards to the past and for calling Lee “honorable.”

Notion that we are putting today’s standards on the past is, in itself, racist–implies only white, slave-holding, opinions matter. — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

Majority of people living in Mississippi in 1860 were black. They knew, in their own time, that enslavement was wrong. — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

Half the people living in states like Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama enslaved–knew full well that enslavement was dead wrong. — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

Praising Bobby Lee as an honorable man is just sad. Like some kid insisting his deadbeat dad is actually a secret agent away on a mission. — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

As @AdamSerwer points out Lee wasn’t some agnostic pressed into War. He was a dude who thought torture was cool.https://t.co/Mx7nXP4isn pic.twitter.com/z7Ggh8afkK — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

Lee didn’t prosecute the war with no regard for White supremacy, his army that kidnapped free blacks and sold them into slavery. pic.twitter.com/avoCZoRZRr — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

You do have to get these guys were the worst of America. — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

They did not merely want to preserve the right to own people, they wanted to expand that right.https://t.co/cFVYE5a3dC pic.twitter.com/JbuQyo6xDr — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

Been a lot of hemming and hawing over the term “white supremacist.” Fools who won’t be satisfied until Trump literally lynches someone. — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

But, like, when the “adult in the room” believes a war for slavery was honorable… — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

Believes that the torturer of humans, vendor of people, who led that war was honorable… — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

When that dude portrays a sitting member of Congress as some shucking and jiving hustler… — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017

When he sticks by that portrayal of a black women, in the face of clear video evidence, when he has so descended into the dream… — Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) October 31, 2017