Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began investigating the explosion the same day.[8] The incident was investigated as a possible terrorist attack. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department reported that Livelsberger used ChatGPT to help plan the explosion.[44] President Joe Biden was briefed on the event.[45] Investigators initially explored any possible connection with the New Orleans truck attack that occurred hours earlier and in which the same car-sharing application was used,[46] though the FBI later reported that there was no definitive link between the two attacks.[47] Tesla independently investigated the incident.[48][49] Investigators initially kept in mind the fact that Livelsberger used a Tesla vehicle to attack a Trump building but sought to avoid immediately synthesizing political motives.[15]
Livelsberger's uncle told The Independent that he thought the truck had exploded due to a mechanical fault, and was therefore surprised when contacted and informed of his nephew's involvement. He said his nephew served in the Special Forces because he was very patriotic toward his country, and that Livelsberger was a talented "supersoldier" who was skilled with explosives and could have used better explosives than "propane tanks and camping fuel".[50] Similarly, an anonymous close relative of Matthew Livelsberger identified him as always having wanted to be an "Army soldier, in Special Forces, even as a little kid. And when he achieved that, he was a soldier's soldier."[18]
Despite feelings of relief by local and federal authorities due to the low death toll and property damage, the circumstances behind the incident caused "a lot of head-scratching" from the authorities along with Livelsberger's Special Forces colleagues. Several Special Forces soldiers speculated that given their training, he could have inflicted much more harm by constructing the bomb differently, if that had been his intention. Although he did not formally hold any explosives positions, he would have been trained on using and building explosives as an A-Team member, especially as a senior leader with combat experience.[19] Electric vehicle experts interviewed by The Washington Post noted that the materials detonated within the truck were enough to cause a significant amount of heat and fire, but appeared to have only resulted in a "low-grade" explosion, causing only limited damage to the vehicle and its surroundings.[51]
Spencer L. Evans, the FBI agent in charge of the investigation, said that it appeared Livelsberger suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with family or personal issues having potentially contributed to his actions. The investigation determined that he detonated "a combination of fireworks, gas tanks and camping fuel in the bed of the vehicle" using a device and kept track of the items that he purchased in a 10-day journal log from December 21 to 31, 2024.[52] Fran Racioppi, a podcaster and former Special Forces officer, suggested that it could have been a "botched" act of terrorism but also highlighted the event as part of a broader trend of mental health problems that Special Forces veterans experience due to their high risk of traumatic brain injuries.[19] Livelsberger confided to his ex-girlfriend that he had suffered a traumatic brain injury during his deployment, leading to memory issues, difficulty concentrating, strained relationships, and guilt over his battlefield actions. She recognized these as symptoms of head or body trauma, which can lead to mental health deterioration and noted that similar injuries had tragically resulted in suicide for several veterans she knew.[27]
Letters
Investigators were able to access one of two phones belonging to Livelsberger that were found in the vehicle and view two letters in an app that detailed his motive for the bombing. In his first letter, he told "fellow service members, veterans and all Americans" to "wake up" at the "weak" government and that "we are being led by weak and feckless leaders who only serve to enrich themselves". He recommended that military members and veterans be prepared to potentially get Democratic Party members out of the federal government and military. He first recommended peaceful methods but then suggested that they "fight" if necessary to achieve their goals. In his second, he denied the bombing being a "terrorist attack" but instead a "wake up call" towards a collapsing United States, that he felt that a "stunt with fireworks and explosives" was the best way to do so since Americans "only pay attention to spectacles and violence." He finally admitted to wanting to "cleanse [his] mind of the brothers" that he lost and "relieve [himself] of the burden of the lives [he] took."[53]
He criticized both increased income inequality (specifically from the "top 1%") and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. He expressed his fears with the United States' rival nations like Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran and recommended that the nation embrace strength and masculinity and end the Russo-Ukrainian War by "negotiated settlement". He additionally criticized Kamala Harris as a "DEI candidate", expressing pleasure that the United States elected "a real president instead of Weekend at Bernie's." He argued that people should unite around Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to promote national
