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.

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