I agree with your assessment, that is why I am always keeping my antennae up, but I don't think he as much CIA as he is anti-CIA. If his contracts were with Space Force (Trump created branch) and NASA (all but dead before the Trump administration) then he could very well be white hat.

The handouts are a red-herring but I would do the same thing in the same situation to better my advancement and outreach. I know it is a slippery slope but I have only dealt with millions in business and small/mid-market strategy with my companies. I have no idea what it is like to be the front-runner in one of the largest industries, with new technologies. I'm sure I wouldn't 'turn down' the funds, haha, even if my intentions were always good and with the 'white hats'.