While speaking at the Al Smith Dinner on Thursday, former Defense Secretary James Mattis joked about reports that President Trump said that he was overrated by saying, “I guess I’m the Meryl Streep of generals, and frankly, that sounds pretty good to me. And you do have to admit that between me and Meryl, at least we’ve had some victories.”
Mattis said, “I do stand before you, as was noted here, really having achieved greatness. I mean, I’m not just an overrated general. I am the greatest, the world’s most overrated. … I owe New York for this. Because Senator Schumer, have I thanked you for bringing my name up in a rather contentious meeting in Washington where this grew out of? So, I would just tell you too that 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. And you do have to admit that between me and Meryl, at least we’ve had some victories.”
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