I don't have an opinion about the cloning itself, more about the reactions that just shows there's a big gap between how Matt (and Automattic) feels appreciated and what really boils in the active part of the WP community. It's lack of empathy and appreciation, both ways. Mainly as a result of untransparency, bad communication and a proper governance model by the leadership team.

By the way: redistribution is part of the GPL freedom. Matt is 100% right, but Matt wears multiple hats, and it's not obvious and easy to wear them on the same time. Like announcing 100 year hosting plan on Open Source conference cause you sponsored the place, or cloning the full rep cause you build-maintened-paid for it. He should have know how sensitive this can be. And you don't have to be a SEO-expert to know this would rank top 3 straight away. Named domainnames still work fine.

To solve all of this, i guess the leadership needs the close the gap. Redefine what open source really means. Is it all steering the wheel and have real influence? Or is it looking over the shoulders off the leadership people and being half happy by contributing via bugs, support, documentation and organizing community stuff. And if my assumptions are false and incorrect, why are contributors feeling this way?
Of course, community can steer a bit but from what i'm seeing, you have to be very patience and stuburn. +10 year old Github tickets are now seen as fantastic addition. An uber-smart team has an offer 'they' can't refuse; meaning the Performance Team; 2 years, such an incredible outcome.

Also redefining the financial model around contributors, the unpaid pure independent volunteers. Meaning: not the contributors who's job is to contribute.

Also the transparency of financial contribution. It's not only core software, the site wordpress.org has totally it flaws but it delivers the task. I can't imagine how much it costs to run and maintain. If Matt's is upset around the appreciation around that (or testing updates on .com), maybe.. you know... lack of clear communication.

Also we have to work on saying thank you. There's a clear taboo on that. It's open source, off course you work for free and sponsor this and that, right. Euh, NO!. The mindset if broken, the communication around thank-you's are broken, and certainly the appreciation. Guess what follows: frustration.

In the darkest place of my mind i'm just thinking: it's all getting to big and to diverse to handle, the ship has sailed, the gap stays.

So, yes. I'll get the frustration around the cloning part, i see reasons why this boils and it's sad to see Matt feels attacked again and again. That is a real shame. So, if i was on board on the leadership team. The first thing i would clone was my communication team, maybe triple it. Next governance model like Drupal Board of directors (google it). And maybe then some day: clean sheets, renewed open source strategies and no drama. That would be a nice day, right.