With as many issues as they have had you would almost think that their budget had been significantly cut year over year despite almost universal agreement among Americans that it is one of our most noble institutions
I think JWST might have bought NASA a bit of leeway with the delayed/over budget budget hawks. Also, the NASA footprint is spread out into too many congressional districts to be an easy pull the plug decision. Everyone learned after the super conducting super collider was killed.
This particular program is delayed and over budget