The White House has reportedly fired an aide at the State Department who contradicted the White House account of President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE's firing of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Rex Wayne TillersonGary Cohn: 'I haven't made up my mind' on vote for president in November Kushner says 'Alice in Wonderland' describes Trump presidency: Woodward book Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention MORE.

The Associated Press first reported the firing of Under Secretary of State Steve Goldstein, citing officials.

BREAKING: Officials: White House fires top Tillerson aide who contradicted account of secretary of state's dismissal. — The Associated Press (@AP) March 13, 2018

The firing was reportedly prompted by a statement from Goldstein on Tuesday, responding to Tillerson's firing, in which Goldstein said Tillerson did not speak with Trump before his firing and is "unaware" of the reason behind his dismissal.

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The statement strongly suggested that Tillerson found out about his firing from Twitter — though it differs from published accounts of the decision that cited unnamed White House sources.

Goldstein also said Tillerson had "every intention of staying" before his firing.

Goldstein's account differed from the one a White House official told The Hill. In the White House official's version, White House chief of staff John Kelly John Francis KellyMORE told Tillerson on Friday that Trump would fire him.

Trump said Tuesday he made the decision to oust Tillerson on his own and that Tillerson would be "much happier now."

Trump and Tillerson had repeatedly clashed, most famously after reports that the secretary of State referred to Trump in private as a "moron."

The White House announced later on Tuesday that Heather Nauert, previously the State Department's spokesperson, had been named as Goldstein's replacement.

Updated at 4:33 p.m.