(CNN) As he huddled with advisers on Friday evening, President Donald Trump was still fuming over his sliding poll numbers and the onslaught of criticism he was facing for suggesting a day earlier that ingesting disinfectant might prove effective against coronavirus.

Within moments, the President was shouting -- not at the aides in the room, but into the phone -- at his campaign manager Brad Parscale , three people familiar with the matter told CNN. Shifting the blame away from himself, Trump berated Parscale for a recent spate of damaging poll numbers, even at one point threatening to sue Parscale. It's not clear how serious the President's threat of a lawsuit was.

Trump defended Parscale in a tweet on Thursday, writing, "Actually, he is doing a great job. I never shouted at him (been with me for years, including the 2016 win), & have no intention to do so."

The White House did not immediately respond to a CNN request for comment, and the Trump campaign declined to comment.

On Thursday, Parscale tweeted that Trump "didn't yell at me," though the campaign manager did not deny a dust-up with Trump or Trump's threat to sue him.