President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE ordered Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Rex Wayne TillersonGary Cohn: 'I haven't made up my mind' on vote for president in November Kushner says 'Alice in Wonderland' describes Trump presidency: Woodward book Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention MORE to eat a salad served to U.S. diplomats during a trip to China last year, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

The Chinese leaders had reportedly included Caesar salad on the menu for a dinner with Trump, Tillerson and other top U.S. officials in November. The event was held in China's Great Hall of the People during Trump's tour of Asia.

Trump grew worried that the Chinese officials might be offended if the U.S. leaders didn’t eat the salad, the Journal reported.

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“Rex, eat the salad,” Trump told his top diplomat, according to the newspaper.

Tillerson reportedly laughed off the president’s comment.

The Journal cited the incident as an example of the sometimes tense relationship between Trump and Tillerson.

Trump ousted Tillerson as secretary of State in a tweet Tuesday morning, replacing him with CIA Director Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Sunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Trump steps up Iran fight in final election stretch MORE.

Under Secretary of State Steven Goldstein said that Tillerson did not talk to Trump ahead of his dismissal and that Tillerson was “unaware” of why he was fired, contradicting the White House's account of the firing.

The White House fired Goldstein later Tuesday.

Tillerson said Tuesday afternoon that his last day at the State Department would be March 31, and that he was delegating his duties to Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan at the end of Tuesday.

The outgoing top diplomat thanked State Department staffers in his remarks, but did not thank Trump.