Very well possible. I’m glad to see that this is all above board in the end, which further argues the case AGAINST conspiracy theories. Most people are just trying to do the right thing.

Sorry, US intelligence agencies is not a category of organizations I would sort in the "we're just trying to do the right thing" bucket.

I dont even mean that as a dig to the people working there (although maybe some) they're literally a military wing of the worlds most powerful empire..

Lets be honest with ourselves, their job is to spy on people, and spies try to make their job easier not harder.

Hell it seems they did lie about the origins, which should bring their entire motivation into question. They spread rumors that it was a "silly phrase", thats ridiculous.