Haley refutes White House claim she was 'confused' about new Russia sanctions

April 18 (UPI) -- U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has refuted a White House claim that she became confused about potential new sanctions against Russia.

White House economic director Larry Kudrow told reporters Tuesday Haley "got ahead of the curve" last weekend when she signaled new sanctions against Moscow were coming. She said the sanctions would target Russian companies that facilitated a suspected chemical attack in Syria.

"She's done a great job, she's a very effective ambassador," Kudrow said. "There might have been some momentary confusion about that."

Later Tuesday, Haley answered Kudrow's claim.

"With all due respect, I don't get confused," she told Fox News.

Kudrow later apologized for his comments.

"She was certainly not confused," Kudlow told The New York Times. "I was wrong to say that -- totally wrong."

"As it turns out, she was basically following what she thought was policy. The policy was changed and she wasn't told about it, so she was in a box."

Some observers have pointed to the episode as indicative of more division within Trump's administration.

"I didn't think much about it," Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee told reporters Tuesday. "Two weeks ago, we're moving out of Syria the next day, and then the next day we weren't. It's just sort of standard confusion."

Additional sanctions against Russia have not been announced.