New Zealand prime minister hailed for Donald Trump putdown: 'No one marched when I was elected'

New Zealand’s new Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is being lauded for her robust takedown of Donald Trump.

The leader of the Labour party, who took office last month, poked fun at the US president by quipping: “No one marched when I was elected”.

Mr Trump’s victory was not only met with protests across America and the wider world but his presidency has continued to engender opposition in the form of marches, walk-outs, and rallies.

The Women’s March – which took place a day after his inauguration – was the largest single-day protest in US history. An estimated 673 marches took place on seven continents across the world and Ms Ardern joined thousands to take part in the protest in Auckland.

Ms Ardern said her meeting with President Trump at the east Asia summit in Vietnam last week was low-key. The world leaders, who occupy opposing political positions, spoke on the phone in late October just after she elected in a shock victory but this was there first face to face encounter.

“I was waiting to walk out to be introduced at the east Asia summit gala dinner, where we all paraded and while we were waiting, Trump, in jest, patted the person next to him on the shoulder, pointed at me and said, ‘This lady caused a lot of upset in her country,’ talking about the election.” Ms Ardern told Newsroom.

“I said, ‘Well, you know, only maybe 40 per cent,’ then he said it again and I said, ‘You know,’ laughing, ‘no one marched when I was elected’.”

But the 37-year-old said President Trump was not affronted by the remark and took it in good humour.

She said: “He laughed and it was only afterwards that I reflect that it could have been taken in a very particular way. He did not seem offended.”

Ms Ardern, who is the world’s youngest head of government, has been applauded for her rebuke of President Trump on Twitter. People went so far as to say it was one of the best "comebacks" they had ever heard.

Australians heaped particular praise on the NZ leader, saying they wished their PM Malcolm Turbull would follow her lead.

“Love it! Badass move by Ardern. Meanwhile, our prime minister, Malcolm Trumble, licks his boots,” said one critic.

Another said: “As an Australian, I have serious PM envy.”

“Can she be our prime minister too?” added another.

“So jealous that you have a PM with sass! We have a revolving door of spineless sycophants. I say we just rename Oz as West Island and bask in your progressive glory,” said one more.

Pressed about her impressions of meeting the billionaire property developer in the flesh, Ms Arden managed to avoid another subtly acerbic takedown.

“He is consistent. He is the same person that you see behind the scenes as he is in the public or through the media,” she told the New Zealand Herald.

Ms Arden, who has described herself as a social democrat and a feminist, joined the Labour party at the age of just 17. She was raised as a Mormon but left the faith over its opposition to same-sex marriage.

She worked in Tony Blair’s cabinet office and was a staffer for former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clarke.

The politician, who likes to DJ in her spare time and swears in interviews, has been extolled for having the pizzazz and “stardust” the Labour party needed to regain power. She has proved exceedingly popular with New Zealanders - her personal appeal has been branded “Jacindamania” and she has been compared to politicians such as Barack Obama and Justin Trudeau.

Ms Ardern campaigned on decriminalising abortion, reducing immigration, getting children out of poverty, and making tertiary education free.