At the level of talent and exceptionalism, and with the amount of money involved ... it's a battle.

Please don't think that people let $ Billions go one direction or another because of the genteel rules of white collar world.

Steve is doing his job and leaning in to protect his talent.

Just imagine conversations between coaches in sports.

It's probably just 'tough talk', but it's also firing up a warning flare as if to say 'don't do this' etc.

Depending on what he did after that, it could get ugly practically or legally ... but this is mostly just a CEO doing his job.