Fair enough. I too am a bit perplexed.

One way to look it then might be that they are playing a psychological game. The problem with AJ is that he commands an enormous amount of influence and a very large audience, which is both a blessing for AJ but also a double-edged sword. If the Generals denounce AJ up front, then the entirety of AJ's following can be turned against them; or if they wait, AJ might decide that he's waited long enough and it's now time to turn his following against them anyway. By praising AJ and saying "AJ's alright", they can both appeal to his audience and possibly even mix their supporters in with AJ, and now restrict AJ's options to "The Generals are alright too," or else he'll suffer a disintegration of his empire, thus the double-edged sword.

Note also that AJ, while being Mossad, can deal out red pills. The key is for people to realise that he might also deal in black pills.