Former Defense secretary James Mattis James Norman MattisBiden courts veterans amid fallout from Trump military controversies Trump says he wanted to take out Syria's Assad but Mattis opposed it Gary Cohn: 'I haven't made up my mind' on vote for president in November MORE responded to President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE calling him “the world’s most overrated general” during a meeting with congressional leaders Wednesday.

At the Al Smith Memorial Foundation dinner on Thursday, Mattis opened his speech with a caustic blow about Trump's deferment from the draft during the Vietnam War.

"I earned my spurs on the battlefield; Donald Trump earned his spurs in a letter from a doctor” he said.

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Secretary Mattis lets loose “I earned my spurs on the battlefield; Donald Trump earned his spurs from the doctor”. — Martha Raddatz (@MarthaRaddatz) October 17, 2019

The general continued on with more Trump references, stating, “I’m not just an overrated general. I’m the greatest, the world’s most overrated." Mattis was the keynote speaker at the 74th annual event.

"I'm honored to be considered that by Donald Trump because he also called Meryl Streep an overrated actress. So I guess I'm the Meryl Streep of generals, and frankly that sounds pretty good to me,” Mattis continued.

But Mattis didn’t stop there with his jabs at the president.

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“And you do have to admit that between me and Meryl, at least we’ve had some victories,” he joked.

"I’m not just an overrated general. I’m the most overrated general," Mattis says. "I'm honored to be considered that by Donald Trump because he also called Meryl Streep an overrated actress. So I guess I'm the Meryl Streep of generals, and frankly that sounds pretty good to me." pic.twitter.com/Hzpe5lUeje — NBC News (@NBCNews) October 17, 2019

Trump reportedly called Mattis “the world’s most overrated general” during a tense meeting Wednesday with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' 3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing Cruz blocks amended resolution honoring Ginsburg over language about her dying wish MORE (D-N.Y.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiDemocratic senator to party: 'A little message discipline wouldn't kill us' Overnight Health Care: New wave of COVID-19 cases builds in US | Florida to lift all coronavirus restrictions on restaurants, bars | Trump stirs questions with 0 drug coupon plan Overnight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds MORE (D-Calif.), among others. Schumer reportedly read a quote from Mattis’s Sunday appearance on “Meet the Press,” during which he warned that “ISIS will resurge” if the U.S. does not keep forces in northern Syria.

Trump pulled troops from the area last week.

“He wasn’t tough enough," Trump reportedly said at the Wednesday meeting. "I captured ISIS. Mattis said it would take two years. I captured them in one month."

Shortly following Mattis's remarks, Schumer, who happened to attend the function as well, showed solidarity with the general, tweeting, "While Donald Trump was having another rally, it was great to catch up with General Mattis—the Meryl Streep of generals."

Trump called Streep “one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood” in a tweet after his election, after Streep criticized Trump in a speech at the Golden Globes.

Meryl Streep, one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood, doesn't know me but attacked last night at the Golden Globes. She is a..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2017

--Updated at 10:54 p.m.