US President Donald Trump speaks to the press on Air Force One ahead of the US airstrike on Syria (Picture: Getty)

Donald Trump has been pictured watching Star Wars on board Air Force One on the same day he approved a major airstrike on Syria.

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In the hours before launching 60 bombs on the war torn nation in response to a chemical attack reportedly carried out by Assad on his own people, the POTUS is seen talking to reporters on the official government plane as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story plays on board.

Asked about Assad ahead of his decision to approve the airstrikes, Trump says: ‘I think what happened in Syria is a disgrace to humanity and he’s there and I guess he is running things so something should happen.’



Darth Vader can be seen making his dramatic entrance in the shot.


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US President Donald Trump speaks to the press on Air Force One on April 6, 2017. as Star Wars plays (Picture: Getty)

US President Donald Trump speaks to the press on Air Force One ahead of the US airstrike (Picture: Getty)

Sean Spicer speaks with reporters as Storm Troopers appear on the screen beside him (Picture: AP)

White House press secretary Sean Spicer was also pictured giving a statement while a Star Wars scene featuring Storm Troopers played in the background.

The film was reportedly playing in Air Force One’s press cabin as in-flight entertainment.

President Donald Trump smiles as he meets with reporters on Air Force One while Star Wars plays (Picture: Getty)

US President Donald Trump speaks to the press on Air Force One on April 6, 2017. (Picture: Getty)

Following the interviews with press on the plane, Trump had a lavish dinner with Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping and their wives at his Mar-a-Lago resort at around 7pm.

By 8.45pm the Tomahawk missiles began to hit their target at the Shayrat air base.

Xi’s motorcade is said to have left Trump’s Mar-a-Largo estate at 8.51pm, six minutes after the bomb started to drop on their targets.

China has condemned this week’s deadly chemical weapons attack in Syria and says it supports an independent investigation under the United Nations.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan attend a welcome banquet hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump in the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida (Picture: Rex)

Despite the condemnation, China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying failed to directly mention U.S. missile strikes in response to the attack.

Hua did not assign blame for the attack that killed more than 80 people, or mention Syrian leader Bashar Assad.

China has previously sided with Russia at the United Nations in opposing condemnation of Assad’s regime, but has not become directly involved in the conflict.