Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been criticized after she appeared to slam New Zealand's PM Jacinda Ardern for offering 'thoughts & prayers' to the victims of today's massacre.

Sharing a clip of Ardern speaking about the deadly terror attack, she asked: 'What good are your thoughts & prayers when they don't even keep the pews safe?'

The New York congresswoman also said she did not need to 'imagine being told your house of faith isn't safe anymore' because it had happened so many times before.

She then referenced the 2015 Charleston church shooting, in which nine people were killed, the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue attack, where eleven died, and the 2017 Sutherland Springs church shooting where 26 lost their lives.

Although she later clarified that she was criticizing the National Rifle Association rather than Ardern, her comments were widely condemned.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been criticized after she appeared to slam New Zealand's PM Jacinda Ardern for offering 'thoughts & prayers' to the victims of today's massacre

Sharing a clip of Ardern speaking about the deadly terror attack, AOC asked: 'What good are your thoughts & prayers when they don't even keep the pews safe?'

Tim Young said: 'If one of your first 1000 thoughts after a horrific mass shooting is to go dunk on a person, a religious belief or an organization on Twitter, you should delete your account.'

Chet Cannon added: 'These poor, innocent people were murdered by a despicable terrorist in their house of prayer, and you choose to denigrate prayer in the aftermath? What is wrong with you?'

Maria Pia tweeted: 'Just wow. Incredible nasty thing to say after a tragedy.'

Ardern had said in the clip that 'my thoughts, and I'm sure the thoughts of all New Zealanders are with those who have been affected, and also with the families'.

Following the backlash, Ocasio-Cortez added: '("Thoughts and prayers" is reference to the NRA’s phrase used to deflect conversation away from policy change during tragedies. Not directed to PM Ardern, who I greatly admire.)'

She later clarified that the she was criticizing the National Rifle Association, rather than Ardern (pictured). She said: '("Thoughts and prayers" is reference to the NRA’s phrase used to deflect conversation away from policy change during tragedies)'

Her comments were widely condemned, with some accusing her of 'denigrating prayer'

She also said that the community must 'come together, fight for each other, & stand up for neighbors' while tackling 'dehumanizing stereotypes'.

Gunman Brenton Tarrant stormed the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch on the country's South Island about 1.30pm, killing 41 people inside.

A second attack at another mosque nearby claimed the lives of seven more, while the 49th died in hospital.

Ahead of the attack, Tarrant shared a 74-page manifesto on Twitter in which he declared himself to be a white supremacist Trump supporter.

The 28-year-old terrorist claimed he chose to use a gun over other weapons because it would spark a debate around the second amendment, which he hoped would in turn spark a civil war in the U.S.

The Democrat also said that the community must 'come together, fight for each other, & stand up for neighbors' while tackling 'dehumanizing stereotypes'