A mysterious explosion outside Donald Trump's Las Vegas hotel involving a Tesla Cybertruck draws attention to possible connections with a deadly New Year's Day attack in New Orleans.
According to The Standard, Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old active-duty U.S. Army member from Colorado Springs, was identified as the driver who died when his rented Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside Trump International Hotel, injuring seven others.
The incident occurred around 8:40 am on Wednesday when the £63,000 vehicle, manufactured by Trump ally Elon Musk's company, pulled up near the hotel's glass entrance. Law enforcement discovered firework mortars and camp fuel canisters stuffed in the truck's bed, leading to an explosion that sent flames shooting upward rather than sideways.
Investigators are examining potential connections between Livelsberger and Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the man responsible for a pickup truck attack in New Orleans that killed 15 people on New Year's Day. Both men had previously served at Fort Bragg, though officials have not confirmed any overlap in their assignments at the military base.
The FBI's Las Vegas office is working to determine whether the explosion constitutes an act of terrorism. Acting Special Agent Jeremy Schwartz emphasized that proper identification of the subject remains their primary objective.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk addressed the situation on his social media platform X, sharing his team's findings. He stated:
We have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself. All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion.
Video surveillance from Tesla charging stations helped authorities track the vehicle's movements. The Cybertruck arrived in Las Vegas at approximately 7:30 am local time, then drove to the Trump International Hotel's valet area an hour later, where it remained for 15 to 20 seconds before exploding.
Political connections have drawn attention, as Musk has recently joined Trump's inner circle. Both men attended Trump's New Year's Eve celebration in South Florida, and Musk was appointed to co-lead an initiative focused on reducing government size and spending.
Sheriff Kevin McMahill highlighted the political implications during a press conference. He stated:
This is a Tesla truck, and we know that Elon Musk is working with President-elect Trump, and it's the Trump Tower. So there's obviously things to be concerned about and it's something we continue to look at.
The incident has garnered attention from the highest levels of government, with President Joe Biden receiving briefings on the situation. The White House is actively monitoring potential connections between the Las Vegas explosion and the New Orleans attack.
The vehicle rental company Turo confirmed its cooperation with authorities, noting that neither renter involved in the Las Vegas or New Orleans incidents had criminal backgrounds that would have flagged them as security threats.
The explosion's impact extended beyond the immediate vicinity, with witness Ana Bruce from Brazil reporting three separate explosions. The 64-story Trump International Hotel's location near the Las Vegas Strip and the Fashion Show Las Vegas shopping mall raised additional security concerns.
The Tesla Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas, resulting in the death of U.S. Army member Matthew Livelsberger and injuries to seven others, has prompted a coordinated response from federal and local authorities. The incident's potential connection to the New Orleans attack that killed 15 people, combined with both perpetrators' military backgrounds at Fort Bragg, has elevated the investigation to a matter of national security, with the FBI working to determine whether these events constitute acts of terrorism.
