Whatever the term might mean in Turkey or Egypt, I think the term is used here analogously, and simply refers to people in the government apparatus who are sufficiently opposed to this administration to impede it with whatever means come to hand. It does not necessarily imply, to my understanding, that they all get together and work on their next move, though some might from time to time. That has probably happened in every administration that ever existed, though it can be worse in some than in others.
One can think of General McClellan who passively resisted Lincoln’s efforts to crush the South early on, with overwhelming force, which McClellan had. There is no reason to think McClellan was a coward. But there was plenty of reason to believe he wanted to effect some kind of conciliatory compromise with Richmond. McClellan was a Democrat and indisputably had a following in the government as well as among the public and in the press. Ultimately, of course, Lincoln sacked McClellan despite the fact that McClellan was not directly defiant.
