Asked whether he believed the US should still sell weapons to Taiwan, the US president said: “Well, I’m going to have that discussion with President Xi. President Xi would like us not to, and I’ll have that discussion.”

The US president lashed out at Iran’s “stupid” leaders and said their counter-proposal to end the war was a “piece of garbage” that he didn’t bother to fully read.

Despite the US turning the screws on Tehran with a naval blockade and a new wave of economic sanctions, the regime is not buckling.

Many of the images are murky black-and-white photos or video clips in which the purported flying object is unclear, but others show a more defined object.

Donald Trump’s return to Beijing this week takes place in a much different world. But he remains hungry for a trade deal, and China’s military build-up and the future of Taiwan still loom large.

The US military confirmed it struck Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz in what it said was an act of self-defence following Iranian aggression against American ships.

A single-page list of dot points is more akin to a meeting agenda than a proper peace deal. But Trump is as bullish as ever about its prospects.

Beyond the question of why Trump let his cabinet secretaries (and top military adviser) waste their time marketing a soon-to-be-jettisoned policy, there is the question of why he pressed pause at all.