Matthew Livelsberger Uses ChatGPT to Plan New Year's Day Tesla Cybertruck Explosion at Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, No Animosity Toward Trump

Jan 7, 2025, 11:00 PM

Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old Army Green Beret, used ChatGPT to plan an explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day. Livelsberger, who had been deployed twice to Afghanistan and was based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, fatally shot himself before the vehicle exploded. The explosion, which caused minor injuries to seven people but no significant damage to the hotel, was described by Livelsberger in his notes as a 'wake-up call' intended to draw attention to the nation's troubles. His searches on ChatGPT included inquiries about explosive targets, ammunition speeds, and the legality of fireworks in Arizona. Authorities confirmed that Livelsberger acted alone and harbored no animosity toward President-elect Donald Trump, despite the location of the explosion. His writings also touched on broader political and societal issues, including the war in Ukraine, and expressed concerns about the U.S. being 'terminally ill and headed toward collapse.' A six-page manifesto found on his phone detailed his plans, and a surveillance log indicated he believed he was being followed. Livelsberger had also considered carrying out his plan at the Grand Canyon's glass skywalk but changed his mind. He used racing-grade fuel, 60 pounds of pyrotechnic material, and 70 pounds of birdshot in the explosion, and had no prior criminal record.