Steady Eddy! In so saying you're showing a lot of your own cards
How? It's just that he minds how it looks, not what it is. Or, as another poster suggested, she wasn't sending more graft his way.
Pperception is reality is the hill 21st century corporate America died on. It's contrary to engineering (in the natural sciences or at least humanities), and contrary to the drucker/ishikawa's emphasizing customer satisfaction
Optics? Trump doesn't care about optics. She pissed him off by spending what he believes to be his own money without him knowing about it. It's always personal and petty with him.
Or didn't cut him in. There's infinite money for these folks. 10 billion to give to Jared for luxury redevelopment of Gaza and other slushies. Fly the FBI director wherever he wants to party. White House ballroom and tacky redecoration. Etc.