The Trump administration‘s Office of Management and Budget rescinded its memo to freeze federal aid spending, though it could be blocked in court for a second time after contradictory statements from the White House suggested the freeze could still be in effect.

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.