He knowingly received stolen documents and he knowingly released them. Those document covered a spectrum of US activities not just the ones that you highlighted.
IMO he was a basement dweller that was seeking notoriety as a hacker. Like most megalomaniacs he expected adulation from the world. In his world the consequences he is now facing were never supposed to happen.
FWIW, I think he is faking the drama to keep from being held accountable because he is already guilty as hell of doing it.
and I think he maneuvering for something to “trade” for leniency. What? We shall see!