Washington (CNN) Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis on Thursday laughed off the news that President Donald Trump had called him "the world's most overrated general," joking that he's not just an overrated general, but the greatest overrated general.

"So I would just tell you, I'm honored to be considered that by Donald Trump because he also called Meryl Streep an overrated actress," Mattis said at the annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in New York. "So I guess I'm the Meryl Streep of generals and frankly that sounds pretty good to me."

"And, you do have to admit, between me and Meryl, at least we've had some victories," he added.

Trump disparaged Mattis -- who resigned as defense secretary last year -- during a contentious White House meeting Wednesday with congressional Democratic leaders to discuss Trump's decision to pull US troops from Syria, according to a Democratic source familiar with the meeting.

Trump has previously leveled criticism at Streep, considered one of the best actors of her generation, just before taking office after she used an acceptance speech at the Golden Globes to criticize the then-President elect. Streep referenced Trump's mocking of a disabled New York Times reporter in her speech and said Trump used his position to "bully others."

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