House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi calls for removal of Confederate statues from Capitol

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi on Thursday called on Speaker Paul Ryan to join Democrats in supporting legislation to remove Confederate statues from the U.S. Capitol.

"The Confederate statues in the halls of Congress have always been reprehensible," Pelosi said in a statement. "If Republicans are serious about rejecting white supremacy, I call upon Speaker Ryan to join Democrats to remove the Confederate statues from the Capitol immediately."

Pelosi's call for action was made hours after President Trump defended Confederate statues. He protested the removal of the monuments, saying on Twitter, "Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson - who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!"

Pelosi noted that during her time as speaker, a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee was moved from Statuary Hall. Now in its place: civil rights figure Rosa Parks.

According to the Washington Post, there are 12 Confederate statues in the Capitol.  But pressuring Ryan and Republicans to remove the monuments may be for naught, because the statues are selected by the states.

A Ryan spokesman quickly made that point, according to the Hill: "These are decisions for those states to make."

In the Senate, Democrat Cory Booker of New Jersey said he planned to introduce a bill to remove Confederate statues from the Capitol.

More:As Donald Trump defends confederate statues, Cory Booker wants them removed from Capitol