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 on Wednesday called his 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 "the world's most overrated general" during a tense meeting with lawmakers on the situation in Syria.

Trump met with Democratic and Republican leaders at the White House to discuss Turkey's incursion into northern Syria following his decision to pull U.S. forces from the area.

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During the meeting, 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.) read a quote from Mattis's appearance Sunday on "Meet the Press," where he warned that "ISIS will resurge" if the U.S. does not keep the pressure on in that region.

Trump cut Schumer off, according to two Democratic aides, and said that Mattis was "the world’s most overrated general."

"You know why? He wasn’t tough enough," Trump said, according to the aides. "I captured ISIS. Mattis said it would take two years. I captured them in one month."

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's remarks.

Wednesday's meeting ended in conflict, and 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.) said Trump had a "meltdown." Democrats claimed the president disparaged Pelosi as a "third-rate politician," and the party's leaders walked out soon after.

The meeting was intended to focus on the response to Turkey as it carries out an offensive in northern Syria that has led to bloodshed and uncertainty in the region. Trump has dug in on his decision earlier this month to pull U.S. troops out of northern Syria, even as lawmakers in both parties have warned him against the move.

That withdrawal paved the way for Turkey to initiate an onslaught against Syrian Kurdish forces that were instrumental in the U.S.-led fight against ISIS. Just before lawmakers left for the meeting, the House passed a resolution in a 354-60 vote that rebuked Trump’s decision to retreat from Syria.

Mattis, who resigned as Defense secretary last December after Trump announced plans to pull American troops out of Syria before walking it back, was critical of the administration's strategy on Sunday.

"You can pull your troops out, as President Obama learned the hard way, out of Iraq, but the 'enemy gets the vote,' as we say in the military," Mattis said. "And in this case, if we don't keep the pressure on them, ISIS will resurge. It's — it's absolutely a given that they will come back."

Trump was critical of Mattis in the aftermath of his departure, claiming that he "essentially fired" the four-star general from his Cabinet and questioning his strategy in Afghanistan.

Updated at 5:37 p.m.