That is my read on it as well. I also believe that NASA was gunning for him because they thought that gun launched satellites were a threat to their rocket program.
The way Bull was treated was one of the most disgusting abuses of power that I found in my career. Bull was a certifiable genius. He used his genius to further the technological and military advancement of the United States, and was betrayed for that effort.
I mainly blame the elite snotty liberals in the State Dept for screwing him, instead of “failing to notice” the CIA’s wink/nod acceptance of his overseas military work with the RSA.
To the libs at State, working with the RSA was a mortal sin, despite the Cold War battles raging in southern Africa.
Bull should have been given great respect and a high-paying position in the USA all of his life, to keep his amazing brain power working for us, instead of forcing him to grub around the world for a paycheck.
Typical short-sightedness by Uncle Sap.