step back

Tech analyst Gene Munster of Deepwater Asset Management wrote on social media this week that his optimism had "taken a step back" as the chance of a recession increased "measurably" over the past month.

Sometimes that means taking a step back before you can take two forward.

Progress towards an agreement appeared to take a step back after Trump and Zelensky had a dramatic row in front of cameras in the Oval Office.

"I probably should have had the surgery 18 months ago but I was a whip in government during historic times and I didn't have the capacity to step back from that," he said.

US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz confirmed on Wednesday that the White House had paused intelligence sharing with Kyiv, telling reporters: "We have taken a step back."