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Cybertruck bomber Matthew Livelsberger left note on his phone about the motive of the explosion

In a press briefing on Friday, Las Vegas police revealed new details about Matthew Livelsberger, the man who died in a Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel on New Year’s Day.

Investigators discovered two letters saved in a note app on Livelsberger’s device, shedding light on his motivations and mindset leading up to the incident.

One letter began with a call to action: “Fellow Servicemembers, Veterans, and all Americans, TIME TO WAKE UP! We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves.”

The second letter was more elaborate, expressing both patriotic sentiment and deep disillusionment:
“We are the United States of America, the best country people to ever exist! But right now we are terminally ill and headed toward collapse.”

It continued: “This was not a terrorist attack; it was a wake-up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives. Why did I personally do it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers I’ve lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took.”

The tone of these notes, police officials said, highlighted Livelsberger’s frustration with societal and political issues, as well as personal struggles stemming from his military service.

In addition to the letters, authorities noted that Livelsberger expressed a wide array of grievances. A police spokesperson described his writings as covering “political grievances, issues about conflicts elsewhere, domestic issues, societal challenges, and personal hardships.”

The writings suggest that Livelsberger viewed the explosion as an act of symbolism rather than terror, describing it as a “wake-up call” for the American public. His language reflected a mix of despair over personal trauma and anger at what he perceived as systemic failures in leadership.

During the press conference, the FBI disclosed that they had found “strong evidence” tying Livelsberger to an email manifesto shared during The Shawn Ryan Show podcast on Friday evening. While the connection is not yet conclusively proven, investigators are comparing this email to other evidence.

The manifesto detailed Livelsberger’s views on advanced technology and alleged surveillance by federal authorities. It read, in part: “What we have been seeing with ‘drones’ is the operational use of gravitic propulsion systems powered aircraft by most recently China in the east coast, but throughout history, the US. Only we and China have this capability.”

The email also hinted at Livelsberger’s belief that he was under surveillance: “I’ve been followed for over a week now from likely homeland or FBI, and they are looking to move on me and are unlikely going to let me cross into Mexico, but won’t because they know I am armed and have a massive VBIED. I’ve been trying to maintain a very visible profile and have kept my phone, and they are definitely digitally tracking me.”

The explosion outside the Trump International Hotel caused significant alarm, but fortunately, no one else was harmed. Livelsberger’s use of fireworks and explosives in the incident and his writings have drawn attention to his complex motivations.

Authorities continue to investigate the case, with the FBI analyzing both digital evidence and Livelsberger’s personal history. His writings, which combine societal critiques with personal anguish, paint a picture of a troubled individual attempting to make a dramatic statement through destructive means.