There's a lot more to it than the US dimension. The truth, in all likelihood, is of an operational intent to bring about thermonuclear war with Russia, had HRC won the presidency. That's what lies behind all of NATO's actions and the bizarre behavior by the UK. They can't afford for the world to learn how advanced these plans were, but they don't have much ability to cover their tracks.
The NSA was formed in 1952.
Admittedly, it was greatly empowered after 9/11, but the Patriot Act has nothing to do with its genesis.
You're not a whistleblower if you're part of an operation by a intelligence agency to cut the nuts of competing agency, which is what the Snowden activities were.