Rep. Jason Smith Rips Meghan Markle for Using Royal Title to Lobby Congress

Meghan Markle should go by her U.S. family name the next time she decides to wade into U.S. politics by cold-calling members of Congress ... so says U.S. Rep. Jason Smith.

The Congressman from Missouri joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and we asked what he made of Meghan dialing up Senators to lobby for paid family leave and introducing herself as the Duchess of Sussex.

Rep. Smith says he has no issues with her getting involved in American politics, seeing as she's an American citizen -- but he says she needs to leave her ties to the Royal Family out of it, for a few reasons.

The big beef Rep. Smith has is the Royal Family is traditionally neutral when it comes to politics across the pond ... so Meghan using a royal title to wield influence in America doesn't sit right with him.

While some think Meghan is just using her celebrity to lobby for something she believes in ... Rep. Smith says that's fine, as long as she uses the thing she was known for before marrying Prince Harry and having children.

"Former 'Suits' star Meghan Markle" doesn't have quite the same ring to it. Plus, the Congressman did admit he has a slight royal bias.