Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann was criticised for saying the earthquake and hurricane that struck the US east coast were a message from God to American politicians.

Bachmann, an ultraconservative and favourite of the Christian right, made the remarks Sunday at a political rally in Florida in a somewhat joking tone.

"I don't know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians. We've had an earthquake; we've had a hurricane. He said, 'Are you going to start listening to me here?'

"Listen to the American people because the American people are roaring right now. Because they know what has to be done. They know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we've got to rein in the spending," she said.