Donald Trump’s chief of staff has said the Civil War was due to a “lack of compromise” and praised a famous slave owner as an “honourable man”.

When asked by Fox News’ host Laura Ingraham about the recent move to scrap symbols of the confederacy across the US, John Kelly praised Robert E Lee.

“I would tell you that Robert E Lee was an honorable man,“ Mr Kelly said.

“He was a man that gave up his country to fight for his state which in 150 years ago was more important than country.

“It was always loyalty to state first back in those days. Now it's different today. But 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 to make their stand.”

His comments came shortly after a church in Virginia decided to relocate the markers which honour Lee and former President George Washington, who also owned slaves on his plantation. The church official told the Associated Press that they made their decision after a woman called Heather Meyer was killed during a counter-protest against a white nationalist rally which wanted to use a statue of Lee.

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

Mr Kelly warned against the “slippery slope” to judge American icons and figures of history.

“I think it's just very, very dangerous. It shows you what — how much of a lack of appreciation of history and what history is,” he said.

Despite Congress passing several compromises which would have allowed slavery to expand in certain regions of the US, conflict spilled into war in the 19th century.

“Notion that Civil War resulted from a lack of compromise is belied by all the compromises made on enslavement from America's founding,” tweeted writer Ta-Nehisi Coates.

George W Bush’s former ethics lawyer Richard Painter added: “Trying to impress his boss to keep his job.”

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders supported Mr Kelly's remarks during her daily press briefing Tuesday, saying that, just because an historical figure is flawed, it "doesn't diminish their contributions to our country." She cited former Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John F Kennedy as examples of men who were flawed but still made meaningful contributions ot society.

Ms Huckabee Sanders later left the White House press briefing room to shouted questions asking if the White House supports slavery, which she did not answer.

Mr Kelly’s views were echoed by Mr Trump, who said in August: “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?”