Instead of admitting "we can't really go to mars" or that there was ever a point any value to be achieved by that...

He'll just be all like, "hur-dur, I'll cut my own spending because 'merica!! ...And self-sacrifice!!"

And it will be used as an excuse to dip out on the con that was never going to happen anyway, but with positive spin.

**Elon is in quotes, because Elon is an op