The FTC accuses Amazon of duping people into signing up for Prime. But it's hard to prepare for a trial when Elon Musk fires your attorneys and support staff.

FTC lawyer Jonathan Cohen asked a federal judge during a hearing on Wednesday to delay the September trial and relax deadlines in the case, citing budgetary and staffing shortfalls. But Cohen did an about-face later in the day, telling U.S. District Judge John Chun in a brief letter that the statements he made in court were incorrect.

The Federal Trade Commission has walked back comments that a lack of resources is interfering with the agency’s ability to be ready for a September trial over Amazon’s Prime program