It had the makings of a significant news event — the first public appearance of a former U.S. attorney who resigned in protest after defying the Trump administration. But the panel featuring Danielle Sassoon proved most notable for how careful she and a famed former New York prosecutor were in avoiding any direct remarks about the president or his Justice Department.

The New York City Bar Association event underscored the unease, public silence and caution hovering over much of the legal community four months into Trump’s second term as president. A former federal prosecutor who now works at a large law firm summed up the dynamic in one word: “Fear.”

“People are keeping their heads down,” said the lawyer, who asked not to be named due to fear of retaliation from Trump. “Scared of being audited. Scared of being investigated. The federal government is very powerful.”

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