Like most elected officials, Donald Trump recognizes that Social Security is vital to the financial well-being of our nation's retirees. But he's not oblivious to the fact that altering Social Security comes with potentially negative ramifications. While speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in March 2013, Trump said:

Unclear if sweeping executive order will affect Medicaid and other federal assistance programs for older Americans.

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.