"I'm the most overrated general", the former Pentagon chief boasted during the keynote speech at the Al Smith Memorial Foundation dinner on Thursday.
Although Trump's nickname for Mattis was "mad dog" - a nickname the former general despised - Mattis said these days he feels more like "an emotional support animal".
The four-star general likened himself to the award-winning actress a day after Trump called him "the world's most overrated general" in a meeting with congressional Democrats about Turkey's invasion of Syria. "So I guess I'm the Meryl Streep of generals, and frankly that sounds pretty good to me", Mattis said, further thanking Schumer for bringing up his concerns about ISIS during the meeting.
"You do have to admit that between me and Meryl, at least we've had some victories" continued Mattis.
Mattis resigned in December 2018, largely over differences of opinion on Syria, and while mildly amusing, these rebukes are more noteworthy for the way the worm seems to be turning on Trump and his former allies who, even if they clearly didn't like him, had seemed to keep a respectful silence.
"Some of you were kind during the reception and asked me if this bothered me to have been rated this way based on what Donald Trump said", he said.
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In conclusion, Mattis again paraphrased Lincoln, this time that president's famous Second Inaugural speech, delivered in the closing days of the Civil War: "With malice for none and charity for all, let us restore trust in one another". Mattis riffed that he "earned my spurs at the battlefield" while Trump "earned his spurs from a letter from the doctor" in a pointed jab at his former boss' cited reason for avoiding the Vietnam War draft.
Mattis resigned as Defense Secretary in December after Trump announced his plan to pull USA forces from Syria. "A year according to White House time is about 9,000 hours of executive time or 1,800 holes of golf".
Guests at the dinner usually lampoon politicians, but the mocking tone was a departure for Mattis, who has generally refused to criticize the president's foreign policy actions since leaving office.
Mattis went on to joke that "the only person on the military that Mr. Trump doesn't think is overrated" is "Colonel Sanders", the founder of the Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food restaurant chain.
Mattis served as the keynote speaker at the annual charity dinner, which honors the four-time Governor of NY. "I said of course not".
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