Following Monday's rollercoaster over whether Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had resigned, drama has broken out between Axios' Jonathan Swan - who broke the story, and Vanity Fair's Gabe Sherman - thanks to pot-stirrer in Chief, NBC political reporter Mike Memoli - who tweeted an article by Sherman suggesting Swan got played by White House insiders to distract from the Kavanaugh accusations. 

"According to a source briefed on Trump’s thinking, Trump decided that firing Rosenstein would knock Kavanaugh out of the news, potentially saving his nomination and Republicans’ chances for keeping the Senate," wrote Sherman, citing "a source briefed on Trump's thinking." 

Enter NBC's Mike Memoli, who tweeted: "So for those keeping score at home: Gabe Sherman's "source briefed on Trump’s thinking" says that Jonathan Swan's "source with direct knowledge" was just trying to kick Kavanaugh out of the news cycle for a few hours." 

So for those keeping score at home: Gabe Sherman's "source briefed on Trump’s thinking" says that Jonathan Swan's "source with direct knowledge" was just trying to kick Kavanaugh out of the news cycle for a few hours. https://t.co/RPq7y9y2ig

— Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) September 24, 2018

Swan swiftly responded: "This is such disgraceful bullshit. @gabrielsherman should be ashamed of himself and should stop doing stenography for Steve Bannon. Rosenstein offered his resignation to Kelly. We wrote “verbally resigned.” Justice Dept isn’t denying he offered his resignation."

This is such disgraceful bullshit. @gabrielsherman should be ashamed of himself and should stop doing stenography for Steve Bannon. Rosenstein offered his resignation to Kelly. We wrote “verbally resigned.” Justice Dept isn’t denying he offered his resignation. https://t.co/RHsNKuS0bH

— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) September 24, 2018

Theories abound: 

That is what happened...and is still happening

— Jack Posobiec (@JackPosobiec) September 24, 2018

And jokes: 

Jon and Gabe figuring out who is more of Bannon's stenographer. pic.twitter.com/XIyQxN1AEe

— Kevin (@kevin_cracknell) September 24, 2018

After several hours of mixed messages and

Drama Breaks Out Between Axios, Vanity Fair Over Rosenstein "Resignation" Story