This is on point. This whole mess is indeed an alignment issue. The fact that this came as a surprise to him could be an indicator of insufficient engagement with the board.
I've been watching For All Mankind and a small subplot was the director finally choosing to "play ball with the big boys" in order as to secure funding and stability for NASA's scientific projects. It made NASA underlings unhappy but was justified as a necessary evil.
It's like a real-life example, i.e. what would you do if you were in the CEO's position?
