Ryan Holiday confronts senator who explained why officials won't criticize Trump

What was said

"I was sitting in the Senate dining room talking to a senator and I was saying like, 'Hey, why don't you guys... why don't you speak out about it?' And he goes, 'See that guy over there?' And he's like, 'That guy was going to be head of the CIA.' And then the White House was like adult daycare over there. I think it was Senator Corker. And he's like he's not even going to be a senator anymore. That guy was in line for the next office, the next level. And he made a comment and it's not happening anymore."

Holiday recounts a private conversation with a senator who explained the culture of fear preventing officials from criticizing the administration by pointing to Senator Corker, who lost his CIA appointment after a single critical comment. The senator used this example to justify silence despite Holiday's challenge about their duty as powerful officials. This illustrates how fear of retaliation creates complicity even among those who privately oppose administration actions.