Elon Musk’s decision to go all in on Donald Trump never made much sense. His scorched-earth approach to breaking up with Trump is even harder to square.

Among Donald Trump’s many achievements is upending this system. In his administration people seem to say exactly what they think at any given moment. Wild threats are made—to end habeas corpus; to take Greenland by force—without any follow-through.

The president tried to give his billionaire benefactor a dignified exit. It didn’t work.