White House Chief of Staff John Kelly's comment that the U.S. Civil War was sparked by a lack of "compromise" drew criticism and reignited a debate over Confederate monuments and the role of slavery.

In an interview on Monday night with Fox News, Kelly was asked whether a Virginia church should have removed plaques honoring Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and President George Washington, both Virginians. Kelly said figures of the past could not be viewed through the lens of current moral values.

"I think it's just very, very dangerous and it shows you ... how much of a lack of appreciation of history and what history is," Kelly said. "I will tell you that Robert E. Lee was an honorable man.