I was listening to a podcast interview with Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, this weekend when something he said jumped out at me. He was talking about how disappointed and surprised he was at how American institutions reacted to Trump’s attacks on our closest ally, remarking that “it was pretty quiet for a long period of time.”

Carney is right that it was quiet. My only quibble with his assessment is his diplomatic suggestion that it has changed. It hasn’t. The silence remains.

As we near the 100-day mark of Trump’s presidency, I’ve been reflecting on why this is the case. Why have so many large institutions remained so muted — so “quiet” — as the Prime Minister observed?

For $10/month or $120/year, Democracy Docket premium members always receive Marc’s personal insights straight into their inbox. Don’t miss out on a single word — upgrade today!