The White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney made a shocking admission that the United States of America President Donald Trump withheld financial aid to Ukraine in a bid to pressurise the Ukrainian government to open investigations into the conduct of Democrats.
Mr Mulvaney then made a stunning turnaround withing hours, saying that he never made such an admission.
"Get over it. We do that all the time with foreign policy, " the chief of staff said in a press briefing that appeared to contradict President Trump's insistence that no pressure was applied to Ukraine for an investigation.
Concerns have been raised from different quarters that president Trump acted in violation of campaign rules that prohibit the use of state power for political gain.
The concerns have informed an impeachment process triggered by the Democrats in the House of Representatives against the US president.
Mr Trump has accused the Democrats of embarking on a treasonable path and has threatened to take legal action to prevent the impeachment proceedings.
The Justice Department moved swiftly to distance itself from the controversy triggered by the White House Chief of Staff.
"If the White House was withholding aid in regards to the cooperation of any investigation at the Department of Justice, that is news to us, " a Justice Department speaking on condition of anonymity told the Washington Post.