Tomi Lahren, the millennial conservative pundit liberals love to hate and and who loves being hated by them, is in a new controversy after telling former first lady Michelle Obama to “sit down”.

Speaking a day after Ms Obama addressed an enthusiastic crowd in Las Vegas and urged people to ensure they registered to vote in the midterm elections, the Fox News contributor took aim at Ms Obama’s reference to her husband having been “a great president”.

“Michelle Obama said we “had” a great president. By what measure,” tweeted 26-year-old Ms Lahren. “Not in economic growth. Not in border enforcement. Not in strength on the world stage. Sit down, Michelle.”

Much of Ms Obama’s address in the Chaparral High School gymnasium on Sunday evening, where she appeared with celebrities and local leaders, steered clear of being overly partisan and she did not refer to Donald Trump by name.

Rather she stressed that people – young people especially – could only have a voice in their nation’s future if they participated by voting.

“The only way to make change in this country is to get out and vote for the change you’re looking for,” she said. “Democracy doesn’t wait for you to be bothered.”

George W Bush hands Michelle Obama a sweet at John McCain's funeral

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, she jokingly compared not voting to “letting your grandma pick out your clothes for you”.

“You’re essentially putting your future in the hands of others. And the truth is that’s exactly what some folks are hoping you’ll do,” she said.

In a comment that was seized on Ms Lahren, she said: “If we want qualified people that we trust, then you have to vote. You can’t vote some of the time and then sit out, you know?

“We saw that happen, and we experienced that. And we had a great president. But every couple of years, folks sat out. They said, ‘Well, I did my part. I voted once. I’m done. I’m out.’ But I’m just telling you that democracy doesn’t work that way.”

Ms Lahren’s rebuke to Ms Obama quickly sparked a flurry of criticism on social media.

Karen Hunter, an author, journalist and broadcaster, wrote: “You sit down. Pres Obama created an environment for NEGATIVE immigration. #Facts. The economy? Perhaps you don’t remember the economy Obama inherited, do you? The Great Recession? He saved the auto industry. #Facts. Record stock market numbers during his 8 years. #Facts. Jobs.”

The comedian Kathy Griffiths wrote: “Oh really you dime store Barbie? Mrs Obama may go high, but I certainly won’t. Go f*** yourself, Tomi. You evil, horrible shell of a human being.”

Michelle Obama as the First Lady Show all 11 1 /11 Michelle Obama as the First Lady Michelle Obama as the First Lady NEW YORK - MARCH 9: Michelle Obama, wife of Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) addresses the crowd at a fundraising event at the Grand Hyatt March 9, 2007 in New York City. The mass fundraiser of Senator Barack Obama targeted a youthful demographic. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady WASHINGTON - JANUARY 4: U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) (2nd L) poses for with his wife Michelle (2nd R), Vice President Dick Cheney (R), daughters (C) Malia and Sasha during the reenactment of a swearing -in ceremony on Capitol Hill January 4, 2005 in Washington, DC. The 109th Congress was sworn in January 4. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 19: Senator Barack Obama and his wife Michelle arrive at the 36th NAACP Image Awards at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on March 19, 2005 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady AMES, IA - FEBRUARY 11: Michelle Obama, wife of Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), listens with her daughter Sasha as the Senator addresses a crowd gathered at a campaign rally at Iowa State University February 11, 2007 in Ames, Iowa. Obama is wrapping up a two-day campaign swing through Iowa after announcing February 10, that he would seek the Democratic nomination for President. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady DES MOINES, IA - DECEMBER 08: Michelle Obama (L) and talk show host Oprah Winfrey embrace at a rally for Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama December 8, 2007 in Des Moines, Iowa. Obama and Winfrey are scheduled to make two stops in Iowa before heading off to campaign events in South Carolina and New Hampshire tomorrow. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady CHICAGO - FEBRUARY 05: Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), arrives for a Super Tuesday event at the Hyatt Hotel Feburary 5, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois. Polls showed Obama and his rival for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), in a virtual tie going into Super Tuesday, where primaries and caucuses are held in 24 states. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady US President Barack Obama (L) and his wife Michelle (2nd L) meet with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (2nd R) and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh (R) during an audience at Buckingham Palace in London, on April 1, 2009. US President Barack Obama visited Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday while his in London for the G20 summit. Obama and wife Michelle were hosted by the queen for a meeting, the day before the crunch summit on tackling the world economic crisis. AFP PHOTO/John Stillwell/WPA POOL (Photo credit should read JOHN STILLWELL/AFP/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 11: A screen shows the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama, as girls participate in a live conversation with her and other school girls around the world, via a video link at the Mulberry School for Girls n OCtober 11, 2016 in London, England. A Global Conversation on Girl's Education was a digital conversation with adolescent girls around the world. The event took place in celebration of International Day of the Girl. Girls in Washington, D.C., Jordan, Peru, Tanzania, and the Mulberry School for Girls in the United Kingdom spoke with one another about the challenges they have faced and potentially overcome in attaining an education. (Kirsty Wigglesworth-WPA Pool/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady Executive Director of Let's Move! and Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition Policy at The White House Debra Eschmeyer (L) looks on as First Lady Michelle Obama (C) helps a child harvest sweet potatoes from the White House Kitchen Garden during a harvesting event at the White House in Washington, DC, October 6, 2016. / AFP / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 20: U.S. first lady Michelle Obama dances with students from turn around schools during a talent show at the East Room of the White House May 20, 2014 in Washington, DC. President Obamas Committee on the Arts and the Humanities held the first-ever White House Talent Show featuring performances by major artists and showcase the talents of students from schools participating in the Turnaround Arts program which helps to turn around low-performing schools and increase student achievement through arts education. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 06: First Lady Michelle Obama dances with members of the All Stars from from the television show "So You Can Dance" during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn April 6, 2015 in Washington, DC. President Obama and the first lady hosted thousands of children for the annual White House event dating back to 1876 that features live music, sports courts, cooking stations, storytelling, as well as the Easter egg roll this year. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Getty

A singer and actress who posts on Twitter using the name Such, said there was a racial element to Ms Lahren’s remark.

“A couple of things. “Sit down” is a distinctly black thing to say (your little trolls can go google its origins) so you’re appropriating black culture to insult a black woman,” she said.

“Secondly, you would hope to be a 100th of the woman Michelle Obama is in 100 years. Sit YOUR ass down.”

Ms Lahren did not seem overly perturbed by the comments. Within 12 hours she was back on Twitter, defending Donald Trump’s pick for the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by two women – allegations he denies.