President Donald Trump issued a memo ordering a freezing of federal funds. After lawsuits and a federal judge issuing an injunction, the memo was rescinded.

After major backlash, Trump’s radical plan to freeze government spending is on hold. Now, it’s all very confusing and somewhat opaque — which, under Trump, is by design — but here’s what appears to have happened: We often forget that Trump has frequently been cowed by public opinion when it turns against him.