Vegas bomber’s extremist writings; Honduras threatens to eject US troops; Militia-infiltrating mole; A Mexican invasion?; And a bit more.

Domestic extremism update: Last week’s Las Vegas Cybertruck bomb suspect was a supporter of Donald Trump and Elon Musk, as well as an active-duty Green Beret with PTSD who left notes (PDF) in his phone stating he believed the U.S. was “headed toward collapse,” authorities said Friday after accessing one of two phones found at the scene. He’d also been experiencing marital problems just days before the incident occurred, officials told the New York Post.

ICYMI: His name was Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old from Colorado Springs who was a master sergeant in the Army special forces when he carried out his suicidal final act on New Year’s Day. Police said he shot himself in the head seconds before his rented Tesla Cybertruck truck exploded in flames and fireworks on the Vegas strip.

The attack, which wounded seven bystanders, is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism, officials announced shortly after it occurred. Several messages on the soldier’s phone would seem to meet the textbook definition of terrorism: carrying out a violent act to advance a political ideology.?

But from the soldier’s troubled perspective, “This was not a terrorist attack. It was a wake-up call,” one of his notes read, according to Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren of the Vegas police. “Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence,” Livelsberger wrote. “What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives?”?

What was his “point,” or message? “Masculinity is good and men must be leaders,” he wrote in one of the notes. The U.S. must “focus on strength and winning” and “weed out those in our government and military who do not idealize” masculinity and strength, according to the soldier—who also called on military personnel, veterans, and militias to “move on DC starting now.”?

Livelsberger also encouraged insurrection in Washington, urging those with a like mind to “Occupy every major road along fed[eral] buildings and the campus of fed[eral] buildings by the hundreds of thousands. Lock the highways around down with semis right after everybody gets in. Hold until the purge is complete.”

“Try peaceful means first, but be prepared to fight to get the Dem[ocrat]s out of the fed[eral] government and military by any means necessary,” he advised. “They all must go and a hard reset must occur for our country to avoid collapse…Rally around the Trump, Musk, Kennedy, and ride this wave to the highest hegemony for all Americans!” said the deceased soldier.

Historian’s reaction: “The vision of the U.S. as a hellscape that can only be fixed by purging the government of Democrats does not reflect reality,” Heather Cox Richardson of Boston College wrote Sunday. However, she continued, “Livelsberger’s notes reflect not reality but rather the political rhetoric in which many Americans have marinated since the 1950s: the idea that a government that regulates business, provides a basic social safety net, promotes infrastructure, and protects civil rights crushes the individualism on which America depends.” (Richardson goes into greater detail on the myth of the American cowboy and how that seems to color several of the soldier’s themes and grievances, here.)

But Livelsberger left another notable clue as to his violent final act: “Why did I personally do it now?” he wrote in one of the messages, according to police. “I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers I’ve lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took,” he said. He also blamed processed foods, children “addicted to screens by the age of two,” and lamented, “Our soldiers are done fighting wars without end states or clear objectives.”

Said one close friend: “He needed help, and he was afraid to get it,” a former Army nurse told the New York Times, and noted that fear of seeking help “is very common for guys who do his job.”

The Army even released a statement acknowledging the “behavioral health” toll on its personnel, as well as measures taken to support the special operations community, in particular. “The Army is fully committed to assisting our Soldiers and has a multitude of behavioral health professionals and resources that are available to our Soldiers around the clock,” Chief of Public Affairs Brig. Gen. Amanda Azubuike said in a statement Saturday. “Additionally, the U.S. Special Operations Command established the Preservation of the Force and Family (POTFF) program which provides holistic care in physical, cognitive, medical, and support resources as appropriate to each individual.”?

For the record, “We encourage our Soldiers, if they need help, mental health treatment or need to speak with someone, to seek proactive behavioral health treatment either on base or online,” the general said in her statement. “They also have the option of talking to an Army chaplain. We are committed to supporting our Soldiers in every possible way.?

Worth noting: “In this particular case, Master Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger had access to and used the POTFF program,” Azubuike said, and stressed, “he did not display any concerning behaviors at the time, and was granted personal leave. All relevant records were provided to the FBI as the lead investigative agency,” she added.?

FBI: “Although this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who is struggling with PTSD and other issues,” Spencer Evans, the special agent in charge of the Las Vegas field office, said Friday.?

Continue reading this Monday's D Brief at: https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2025/01/the-d-brief-january-06-2025/401962/?oref=d1-featured-river-top