President Trump's top spokeswoman said Wednesday it's "disgusting and absurd" to suggest anyone in the White House supports slavery.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was responding to American Urban Radio Networks reporter April Ryan, who asked whether President Trump believes slavery is wrong.

"I think it is disgusting and absurd to suggest that anyone inside of this building would support slavery," Sanders told Ryan.

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Ryan asked the same question at the end of Tuesday's briefing and it went unanswered.

The question was raised in response to White House chief of staff John Kelly's claim the Civil War could have been avoided if the North and South could have reached a "compromise."

"The lack of an ability to compromise led to the Civil War and men and women of good faith on both sides made their stand where their conscience had them make their stand," Kelly said in a Fox News interview.

In the same interview, Kelly called Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee "an honorable man" who "gave up his country to fight for his state."

Sanders has defended Kelly's comments.