If the hiring manager can't answer this question, that's as clear of a sign to stay away as you can get.
My exact thoughts. This would definitely be one of my questions.
In my experience changes to hiring posture come from a very small group at the top and are passed down with immediate effect without much if any foreknowledge. One day it's full steam ahead, next day it's offers getting cancelled.
Sounds like a great example of dysfunction that you'd want to catch early in the interview process. And to be clear - this is definitely dysfunction.
I suspect it's more like asking a PR rep for the tobacco industry about lung cancer. They've been asked so many times that they can give their spiel to you without even engaging their brain. Because that's the job.