This action is generating a lot of actual pushback, has now been slapped down by the courts (at least temporarily), has given Democrats (who prior to today were stuck in neutral at best) a cudgel with which to hit the administration with repeatedly (should they take it), and there's reason to believe because it impacts a lot of federal programs that people take for granted included (basically every program), it's something that will break through to normal people.
I don't think they wanted or expected the rollout of their government funding freeze to happen like it did. It's honestly pretty clear cut that it was done haphazardly and incompetently. So we just disagree here.