Severance packages are usually a deal: company pays you $X, and you agree to say (or not say) certain things, and also agree where you might work in the future (i.e. not at a competitor). The current board/CEO may want to keep things stable, and offer generous money to keep things on an even keel; Elon may not care what a former executive says or does.
Why wouldn't it be? The sale hasn't finalized, so unless there's evidence that they're intentionally harming the company they can continue to operate as usual.
