Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent presidential candidate, expressed his "visceral reaction against" the removal of Confederate memorials and said they honoured southern figures from the Civil War. Kennedy stated on Friday that Robert E. Lee, the senior Confederate commander, possessed "extraordinary qualities of leadership" that should be honoured in an interview for the Timcast IRL, which conservative podcaster Tim Pool hosts.

'There were heroes in the Confederacy who didn't have slaves,' Kennedy said in response to a question about the monuments. 'And, you know, I just, I just have a visceral reaction to this destroying history. I don't like it. I think we should celebrate who we are. And that, you know, we should celebrate the good qualities of everybody.'