WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Thursday responded to Sen. Lindsey Graham's fiery rebuke of the president's decision to pull troops out of Syria, accusing the South Carolina senator of being against saving the lives of soldiers serving overseas.

The war of words between the Trump and the Republican senator happened after Trump's decision, which he announced on Twitter, that the U.S. military would pull out of Syria because ISIS had been eradicated. That's something Graham called "fake news."

"So hard to believe that Lindsey Graham would be against saving soldier lives & billions of $$$," Trump said in his response. "Why are we fighting for our enemy, Syria, by staying & killing ISIS for them, Russia, Iran & other locals? Time to focus on our Country & bring our youth back home where they belong!"

More:Trump orders US troops out of Syria, declares victory over ISIS; senators slam action as mistake

More:Sen. Graham: Trump's claim of ISIS defeat is 'fake news,' pulling troops is 'stain' on US

Graham, in his speech on the Senate floor Wednesday evening, agreed that he would also like for troops to be back in the U.S. but argued having a presence in Syria would allow the country to stabilize and halt any future spread of radical Islam, calling the 2,000 soldiers there almost a "virtual" border wall that keeps terrorists at bay and the U.S. safer.

He said it was too soon for the U.S. to pull out of the country and compared the order to President Barack Obama's decision to pull U.S. military from Iraq and Afganistan, which some critics say allowed the spread of the Islamic State.

Earlier in the day, Graham also called foul on the president's assertion on Twitter that "Russia, Iran, Syria & many others are not happy about the U.S. leaving, despite what the Fake News says."

Graham, who has been an ally to the president, said that was false.

"They're ecstatic," he said. "The only reason they're not dancing in the aisles in Tehran and ISIS camps is they just don't believe in dancing. This is a big gift to them."

Graham on Thursday echoed threats to hold Trump accountable in the decision, saying he wanted oversight. While speaking on the Senate floor late Wednesday, he called upon members of Congress to urge the president to reconsider.

"This is a stain on the honor of the United States. I hope and pray the president will reconsider this. I know that every national security adviser understands that the time is not right to withdraw," Graham said. "If he does not decide to reconsider, then it will be incumbent upon the Congress to speak and hold him accountable."

In his speech, Graham said none of the national security officials he's spoken with thought pulling troops out of Syria was a good idea and said Trump's claim that ISIS had been defeated was "fake news."

"I will not buy into the narrative that they have been defeated," Graham said. "To say they're defeated is an overstatement and is fake news. It is not true. They have been severely damaged but they will come back unless we're there to stop them."