One of Donald Trump’s most trusted advisers held a secret meeting with senior Conservative Eurosceptic MPs where he revealed that the US president wants to accelerate a trade deal after Brexit, The Sunday Telegraph can disclose.

John Bolton, Mr Trump’s national security adviser, spent more than an hour discussing Brexit with members of the European Research Group of Conservative MPs in London last week.

He used the meeting to stress the president’s enthusiasm for Brexit and his belief that the US and UK can agree a trade deal two years after Britain leaves the European Union.

Although Mr Bolton met Sir Mark Sedwill, the British national security adviser, during his visit, Number 10 appears to have been kept in the dark about the ERG meeting.

No officials from the Government were present, and sources said Whitehall civil servants were “raging” that they were not part of the discussions.