The Trump administration, days after issuing a memo that froze federal spending on grants and loans, backpedaled Wednesday intending to “end any confusion” but instead only added to

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.