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Donald Trump has told how he bragged about bombing Syria to the President of China while eating "the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake".

President Xi was having pudding at the billionaire's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida when he authorised a missile strike last week.

The US had retaliated after a chemical attack that killed 87 was blamed on Syria's "tyrant" President Bashar Al-Assad.

Today Trump told a TV interviewer he gave the final order over dessert, then told China's premier: "We've just launched 59 missiles heading to Iraq."

He corrected himself to say "Syria" after the interviewer prompted him.

The President told Maria Bartiromo of the Fox Business Network: "I was sitting at the table, we had finished dinner, we're now having dessert.

(Image: Fox Business Network)

"And we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you've ever seen, and President Xi was enjoying it."

After apparently measuring the cake with his hands, he continued: "And I was given the message from the generals that the ships are locked and loaded, what are you doing?

"And we made a determination to do it, so the missiles were on the way.

"And I said 'Mr President, let me explain something to you.' This is during dessert.

"'We've just fired 59 missiles, all of which hit by the way, unbelievable from, you know, hundreds of miles away, all of which hit.'"

"So incredible, it's brilliant, it's genius."

(Image: REUTERS)

Trump complained in his interview about how the military was cut under Barack Obama before returning to the subject.

He went on: "So what happens is I said, 'we've just launched 59 missiles heading to Iraq.'"

At this point Ms Bartiromo interjected, saying: "Heading to Syria?"

He replied: "Yes. 'Heading toward Syria. And I want you to know that.'

"Because I didn't want him to go home. We were almost finished. It was a full day in Palm Beach. We're almost finished and I... what does he do, finish his dessert and go home and then they say, you know, the guy you just had dinner with just attacked a country?"

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Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May was left embarrassed when Trump announced a travel ban on Muslim-majority countries hours after she left the White House.

Trump went on: "So he paused for 10 seconds and then he asked the interpreter to please say it again. I didn't think that was a good sign.

"And he said to me anybody that uses gases... to do that to young children and babies, it's okay. He was okay."

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow today to try and find a breakthrough.

(Image: Rex)

The US and Britain have agreed to try and persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to drop his backing for Assad.

Ahead of the summit Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, was reported to have accused the US of "primitive, loutish rhetoric" on Syria.

He reportedly said Mr Tillerson wanted to discuss no-fly zones in the war-torn country.

Putin meanwhile has claimed the US is preparing to bomb Syria's capital and blame the devastation on Assad's forces.

Russia's President today warned his country's relationship with the US has deteriorated since Trump became President.

(Image: REUTERS)

Trump delivered a scathing denouncement of Assad in the Fox interview.

He said: "Putin is backing a person that's truly an evil person. I think it's very bad for Russia. I think it's very bad for mankind. It's very bad for this world.

"But when you drop gas, or bombs, or barrel bombs - they have these massive barrels with dynamite and they drop them right in the middle of a group of people.

"And in all fairness, you see the same kids with no arms, no legs, no face. This is an animal."