Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis on Thursday mocked President Donald Trump's insult he was "the world's most overrated general," calling it an honor to be "the Meryl Streep of generals."
"I'm not just an overrated general. I'm the greatest, the world's most overrated," Mattis said in a keynote speech at the annual Al Smith Memorial Foundation dinner.
"I'm honored to be considered that by Donald Trump because he also called Meryl Streep an overrated actress," Mattis continued. "So, I guess I'm the Meryl Streep of generals, and frankly that sounds pretty good to me."
"And you do have to admit that between me and Meryl, at least we've had some victories," he joked.
During a contentious meeting Wednesday with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Trump branded Mattis as "the world's most overrated general."
Trump's slam of Streep as "one of the most overrated actresses in Hollywood" came in a tweet after his election, following Streep's criticism of Trump in a speech at the Golden Globes.
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