Family of Cybertruck bomber Matthew Livelsberger say he was skilled enough to ‘take down entire Trump hotel’
The Las Vegas Cybertruck bomber was a highly trained military expert who was certainly skilled enough to blow up Donald Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas.
“He could have demolished that whole building if he wanted to,” a close family source told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview.
“He spent the last few months working on drone programs, programs that dropped bombs on people.”
Matthew Livelsberger’s family is reeling from the decorated soldier’s decision to end his life by shooting himself in the head seconds before his Tesla Cybertruck exploded.
Seven people were injured in the explosion outside the Trump International Hotel on New Year’s Day.
The insider described the soldier as a “great American” and painted a picture of an honorable soldier, father and patriot who was dedicated to his job as a soldier. expert operator in the Army Special Forces.
“He loved the military. He came there straight out of high school,” the source told DailyMail.com on Friday.
Livelsberger, 37, a decorated Green Beret who oversaw drone operations and maintenance within his Special Forces unit, had spent nearly two decades in the military.
The family of Matthew Livelsberger is reeling Wednesday from his decision to end his life outside the Trump International Hotel
The family source described the Green Beret (enlisted on active duty) as a “great American” and honorable soldier, father and husband, who was dedicated to his job as an expert operator in the Army’s Special Forces.
He joined the Army straight from Bucyrus High School in suburban Cleveland, Ohio, and quickly rose through the ranks.
Throughout his career, he served in crucial intelligence and security roles, at one point even working as protection for the U.S. ambassador to Congo, family members said.
The family last spoke to Livelsberger on Christmas Day and described him as “in good spirits.”
“He was with his wife and children, he had plans for the future,” the source said.
“I know he had his demons, but we’re all shocked.”
Livelsberger, an Afghanistan veteran, had recently accepted a role as a remote and autonomous systems administrator while stationed at Panzer Kaserne camp, just southwest of Stuttgart, Germany, in November.
The family source said he had been working on military drone programs in recent months.
“He had been working on drones, drones that drop bombs all over the world,” the insider said.
Livelsberger rented the Tesla Cybertruck in Colorado Springs via the Turo app and drove it more than 800 miles through three states on Wednesday morning – where he carried out the attack (photo)
Police found credit cards, his passport and military ID on him, but they are still calling him a person of interest as they wait for DNA confirmation
The body of Matthew Livelsberger, 37, was burned beyond recognition after he apparently blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump hotel in Las Vegas
He had had a break from duty, which allowed him to return to the US.
Livelsberger’s body was burned beyond recognition in the explosion and was identified by his tattoos, Sheriff Kevin McMahill said Thursday.
Police found credit cards, his passport and military identification card on him.
The weapons found in the truck were legally purchased on December 30, 2024.
The electric vehicle, rented through the Turo app, exploded about 15 seconds after the driver pulled up to the hotel entrance.
He picked it up in Colorado Springs, Colorado and drove over 800 miles through three states to reach Vegas.
Police are still looking for a motive for the attack.
Sheriff McMahill addressed the similarities between the act of terror in Vegas and that in New Orleans by Texas native Shamsud-din Jabbar, 42, who flew the ISIS flag when he slaughtered 14 people and injured dozens with a rented truck.
Both served at Fort Bragg — now renamed Fort Liberty — in North Carolina, but officials don’t know if their paths ever crossed.
Both also served in Afghanistan in 2009, but officials say they have seen no evidence they were in the same facility or unit. That is still being investigated.
Livelsberger served in the Green Berets, highly trained special forces that work to counter terrorism abroad and train partners, the military said in a statement.
He had been in the Army since 2006 and rose through the ranks with a long career of overseas assignments. He was deployed twice to Afghanistan and served in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, the military said.
Livelsberger received two Bronze Stars, including one with a courage device for bravery under fire, a combat infantry badge and an Army Commendation Medal with valor.
The family says Livelsberger “always loved the military and joined the military straight out of Bucyrus High School in suburban Cleveland, Ohio, before quickly rising through the ranks.
He served in the Army since 2006 and rose through the ranks with a long career of overseas assignments, deploying twice to Afghanistan and serving in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, the Army said.
The guns found in the truck were legally purchased on Dec. 30, 2024, police said
The passport found by authorities in the Tesla vehicle is pictured above
According to the statement, Livelsberger was on approved leave when he died.
He was married to social worker Sara Livelsberger, who said she had not heard from him in days before his apparent suicide.
His uncle Dean Livelsberger told The Independent that his cousin was “100 percent a patriot,” describing him as a “Rambo type.”
“He used to have all the patriotic stuff on Facebook, he loved the country 100 percent,” he continued.
“He loved Trump, and he was always a very, very patriotic soldier, a patriotic American. It’s one of the reasons he spent so many years in the Special Forces. It wasn’t just a business trip.’
Video showed a flood of charred fireworks mortars, canisters and other explosives stuffed into the back of the pickup.
The walls of the truck bed were still intact because the explosion shot straight up instead of to the sides.