'Could be worse... she could have been a bartender 18 months ago': Piers Morgan and AOC get into Twitter spat after the freshman lawmaker questioned Ivanka Trump's 'qualifications' for White House role (13 Pics)

Piers Morgan and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez came to blows on Twitter on Sunday after the congresswoman complained about Ivanka Trump working in the White House despite not being elected. 

The firebrand Democrat tweeted: 'It may be shocking to some, but being someone’s daughter actually isn’t a career qualification. 

'It hurts our diplomatic standing when the President phones it in & the world moves on. The US needs our President working the G20. Bringing a qualified diplomat couldn’t hurt either.' 

Morgan, MailOnline's US editor-at-large, replied: 'Could be worse... Ivanka could have been a bar-tender 18 month ago,' in reference to Ocasio-Cortez's job in a Mexican bar which she regularly talks about. 

AOC, as she is known, had been complaining about Ivanka working in the White House despite not being elected when Morgan took the opportunity to argue that she herself did not have a long career in politics and had been working in a bar not long before she was put in congress

Infuriated by his reply, she shot back: 'Actually, that would make government better - not worse. 

'Imagine if more people in power spent years of their lives actually working for a living. We’d probably have healthcare and living wages by now.' 

As their respective critics and supporters piled into their dispute, Morgan went on to argue that he had nothing against bartenders, had been one himself, and was merely making the point that the majority of White House staffers in powerful positions have not been elected. 

He added his admiration of Ivanka, saying: 'I’ve known Ivanka Trump for 13 years & seen her at work in many different scenarios. 

AOC fired back on Sunday morning that it would make government 'better' to have more people there who had worked in bars and restaurants

On Sunday night, she used the spat to complain about 'Republicans' and 'the GOP' who she accused of 'classicism'. She did not mention Morgan 

'She’s one of the smartest people I know, as well as one of the most loyal, diligent & decent. Your desire to belittle her says more about you than her.'    

Insisting she was there on 'merit' and not nepotism, he said he was 'having a pop' at the politician's attack on the First Daughter for seemingly lacking experience when 'she herself was serving drinks 18 months ago'. 

AOC used the spat to launch complaints against 'the GOP' and accuse Republicans of 'classicism.' 

Listing her other qualifications, she fumed: 'As always, I‘m proud of my work in restaurants. I also worked for Sen. Ted Kennedy, piloted literacy projects in the South Bronx, studied Development Economics in W Africa, served as an Educational Director & won international science competitions before I ran for office, too. 

'Working people that GOP dismiss as “just a waitress/cook/etc” contain multitudes, & are just as capable & intelligent as anyone. Classism - judging someone’s character by their income - is disappointing to see from them. What is so appalling to GOP about having an honest job?

Morgan fired back in defense of the president's daughter who he lauded as 'one of the most loyal, diligent and decent' people he had met 

Morgan continued to argue his case throughout the afternoon and challenged the politician to a sit-down interview but she did not respond 

'Some of the most nuanced, intelligent, & grounded people I‘ve ever met weren’t at BU, MIT or Harvard events when I was a student. They were the plumbers & waitresses I hung out with at happy hour, who had ferocious intellectual curiosity *and* a lived context of the real world. 

'In other words, Republicans who criticize my being a waitress as evidence of lacking skill can take their classism to the trash. You are insulting the capacities and potential of virtually every working person in America (&the world) for having experience that’s earned, not bought.

'(And that’s if they even take out their own trash, which I doubt)'. 

Morgan challenged her to a sit-down interview but she did not reply.