Yes, the “Q clearance” bs was always one of the tells. Someone in DOE would not be in the mix for all the myriad aspects supposedly being dealt with by “Q” team.
Then of course there are many adolescent outbursts, many mistakes of fact and detail, many odd statements that would never come from someone working at the highest levels of US national security and govt, etc. Q incompetence when discussing certain military and strategic issues, etc.
Sounds like you are describing Steve Bannon. Not that he worked in the DOE, but everything else fits.