Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke isn’t exactly happy with the way Donald Trump reacted to the recent tragedy in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Just minutes after the President condemned the deadly weekend protest, and spoke ill of extremist groups by name including neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan, Mr Duke reacted with a series of tweets.

“It’s amazing to see how the media is able to bully the President of the United States into going along with their FAKE NEWS narrative,” Mr Duke wrote.

Mr Duke later stuck up for the man suspected of having driven through a crowd in Charlottesville, killing one woman and injuring 19 others. The former KKK leader said that James Alex Fields had simply reacted consistent with the violence and chaos that had erupted in the Virginia city.

“When you’re under attack… you panic, and you do things that are stupid and you do things that are wrong,” Mr Duke said in Periscope video.

Mr Duke has been a controversial supporter of Mr Trump, and the President appeared hesitant to condemn or disavow the white supremacist’s endorsement during the 2016 presidential campaign. While Mr Duke was critical of the President’s Charlottesville statement — which many said should have been made earlier — he has frequently supported Mr Trump’s positions.

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.

“We are determined to take our country back,” Mr Duke told white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and far-right protesters at the start of the rally in Charlottesville. “We are going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump.”

The rally in Charlottesville quickly devolved into violence, and forced police there to try and disperse the crowds soon after the official start time. But, police proved relatively ineffective in the environment, since many white supremacists there came armed with semiautomatic weapons — as were some counter protesters.