For the past few weeks the Bush administration has been bitterly divided over the best way to respond to growing calls for Paul Wolfowitz’s resignation as World Bank president, according to people who have attended the White House meetings.

On Tuesday, Tony Snow, the White House spokesman, signalled an apparent change in the White House’s previously firm backing for Mr Wolfowitz when he said “all options are on the table”. But according to the White House insiders, one of those options still included Mr Wolfowitz staying on. The Bush administration is divided into three camps, which have very rarely seen eye to eye.