South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November Buttigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Hillicon Valley: FBI, DHS warn that foreign hackers will likely spread disinformation around election results | Social media platforms put muscle into National Voter Registration Day | Trump to meet with Republican state officials on tech liability shield MORE (D) responded with a Chinese proverb Thursday after President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE mocked his presidential campaign at a rally the night before.

Asked to comment at a press conference after Trump mocked Buttigieg's chances of winning the Democratic nomination, the mayor quoted a proverb while saying that he wasn't "too worried" about the president's insults.

"You can't get too worried about the name calling and the games he plays," said Buttigieg, one of more than 20 Democrats seeking the party's 2020 White House nomination. "I was thinking of a Chinese proverb that goes, when the wind changes, some people build walls and some people build windmills."

"You gotta recognize that we need something that is completely different from what is in this White House," Buttigieg continued. "The negotiations that they are conducting, whether it's on trade or things like North Korea, are usually a personal high-wire act with no safety net."

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On Wednesday, Trump made his first public comments about the 37-year-old presidential hopeful, who is currently polling in third place in multiple surveys, behind former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Democratic groups using Bloomberg money to launch M in Spanish language ads in Florida Harris faces pivotal moment with Supreme Court battle MORE and Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersOutrage erupts over Breonna Taylor grand jury ruling Dimon: Wealth tax 'almost impossible to do' Grand jury charges no officers in Breonna Taylor death MORE (I-Vt.).

"We have a young man, Buttigieg," Trump said in Florida, while mocking the pronunciation of the mayor's last name: "Boot-edge-edge. They say 'edge-edge.'"

"He’s got a great chance. He’ll be great. He’ll be great representing us against President Xi of China," he added, to laughs from audience. "That’ll be great."

Buttigieg has previously feuded with the White House over Vice President Pence's views on homosexuality. Pence, a conservative Christian, has responded dismissively to the criticism, while maintaining that he supported Buttigieg when the mayor came out in 2015.