washington/palm beach secure room mar-a-lago estate florida president donald trump top military advisers present three options punish syrian president bashar al-assad poison gas attack kill dozens civilians thursday afternoon hours 59 u.s. cruise missiles would rain syrian military airfield response trump call disgrace humanity trump florida estate first summit chinese president xi jinping summit take backseat top-secret brief u.s. national security adviser h.r mcmaster secretary defense jim mattis official familiar brief tell reuters mcmaster mattis present trump three options quickly narrow two bomb multiple airfields shayrat airfield near city homs military jet carry poison gas take official say least 70 people include 20 children kill gas attack northern syria russia military force syria aid assad government say deaths cause gas leak depot rebel group store chemical weapons charge rebel deny u.s. intelligence officials say false listen argument best minimize russian arab casualties official say trump choose minimum option order launch barrage cruise missiles shayrat air field mattis mcmaster argue choose target would draw clear line assad use nerve gas retaliatory strike official say addition live quarter occupy russian advisers syrian airmen civilian workers periphery airfield mean could destroy without risk hundreds casualties especially attack occur outside base normal work hours another official privy discussions say administration contingency plan possible additional strike early friday night depend assad respond first attack whether president assad say official additional options ready go confront first foreign policy crisis trump rely largely season military officer mattis former marine general mcmaster u.s. army lieutenant general rather political operatives dominate policy decisions first weeks presidency say three officials involve deliberations news gas attack first surface tuesday trump immediately request list options punish assad accord two senior officials take part meet officials speak condition anonymity discuss internal deliberations intelligence matter senior administration officials say meet trump early tuesday even present options include sanction diplomatic pressure plan variety military strike syria draw well take office aggressive option shelf one officials say call decapitation strike assad presidential palace sit alone hill west downtown damascus lot question say want think also point want make want options refine one official say wednesday morning intelligence officials trump military advisers say certain syrian air base use launch chemical attack track sukhoi-22 jet carry trump tell focus military plan matter dust adapt current target set time say another official wednesday afternoon trump appear white house rise garden say unspeakable attack even beautiful little baby change attitude toward assad ask whether formulate new policy syria trump reply see 3:45 p.m thursday afternoon general joseph dunford chairman u.s. joint chiefs staff call unscheduled meet service chiefs pentagon finalize plan military strike shortly p.m. trump sign missile attack accord white house two u.s. warships uss ross uss porter fire 59 cruise missiles eastern mediterranean sea target air base begin land around 8:40 p.m. et 00:40 gmt two presidents finish meals trump order syrian air strike dinner xi