Jacinda Ardern and Donald Trump took light-hearted digs at each other while in the Philippines for trade talks.
Mr Trump told a person standing beside the Prime Minister: "This lady caused a lot of upset in her country" referring to the election.
After he repeated the comment Ms Ardern fired back.
She told the US President: "No one marched when I was elected," according to Newsroom.
It was intended as a joke and he laughed, but she later "reflected that it could have been taken in a very particular way," she told Newsroom.
The two leaders met for the first time while in Vietnam for the APEC conference, after being introduced by Justin Trudeau.
Ms Ardern shook Mr Trump's hand and said it was a "standard handshake".
A photo taken in Vietnam shows Ms Ardern speaking to Mr Trump and other world leaders as they stood in their pyjamas for the 'NAFTA Pyjama Party'.
Newshub.
