Former Green Beret sniper and MMA fighter Tim Kennedy, 45, has spoken out in defense of the Army soldier who blew himself up outside of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Years Day in a Cybertruck.
Kennedy appeared alongside Matthew Livelsberger, 37, in a 2013 military-style reality TV show entitled Ultimate Soldier Challenge that saw the pair compete in grueling soldier-skills challenges.
In sharing what he remembered about Livelsberger, who was known as ‘Matt Burg’ on the show, Kennedy said he believes his one-time friend’s actions were that of a ‘broken’ man.
‘This doesn’t seem like a bad apple. It seems like somebody that was hurt or broken or very scared,’ Kennedy explained.
‘It’s heartbreaking, and I truly hope this is a wake-up call for service members to check in with each other.
‘There were five, six events we did in this reality competition show, mostly based around soldier skills, and in every instance, he was seemingly a great person. None of this checks out,’ Kennedy explained.
Kennedy painted a picture of a man vastly different from the unhinged persona revealed in Livelsberger’s disturbing letters that expose his descent into rage and violence.
‘I really enjoyed the time I spent with him and found him incredibly competent and talented as a Special Forces operator. I was floored, to be honest. I didn’t know what to do or say,’ said a shocked Kennedy.
Former Green Beret sniper and MMA fighter Tim Kennedy, 45, an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran and active service member met Matthew Livelsburger on a reality TV show
The pair met on set of the 2013 History Channel series Ultimate Soldier Challenge
Flames rise from a Tesla Cybertruck after it exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Years Day
The MMA fighter’s reflections offer a window into the complexities of a man who, just years ago, had been excelling in both his military service while taking on challenges on the reality TV show.
‘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,’ Livelsberger wrote in one letter found by authorities
Livelsberger’s military credentials and reputation left Kennedy reeling. ‘Start to finish, categorically, he was a great dude,’ Kennedy insisted.
‘He was fit, he was a good shooter, he was a good communicator. None of this checks out. He was a talented Green Beret, and everyone liked to work with him.’
The Green Berets are highly trained U.S. Army special forces who specialize in guerrilla warfare and unconventional fighting tactics.
Upon hearing of the news Livelsberger had blown up his vehicle while still inside, leading to the injuring of seven innocent victims, Kennedy expressed disbelief.
‘It took about 36 hours, honestly,’ Kennedy said during an interview with Fox News.
‘About a day, day and a half into it, when more photos started emerging of what he looked like earlier in his life – 10 years ago, 15 years ago, when I knew him – before I could put it together. I was flabbergasted and left speechless.’
Ultimate Soldier Challenge that saw the pair compete together in grueling soldier-skills challenges
‘There were five, six events we did in this reality competition show, mostly based around soldier skills, and in every instance, he was seemingly a great person. None of this checks out,’ Kennedy explained
‘Start to finish, categorically, he was a great dude,’ Kennedy, right, insisted
His letters suggest he was likely spiraling into disillusionment and despair.
Livelsberger’s journey from a decorated Special Forces operator to a suspect accused of such a violent plot, and one whom Kennedy once admired, has shaken the military community.
‘On the Special Forces side, he was a first-rate Special Forces communication sergeant and intelligence sergeant on a Team Zulu. He went through all the checks and balances. None of this makes sense,’ said Kennedy.
Livelsberger rose through the ranks and deployed twice to Afghanistan and served in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, according to the Army.
He recently returned from an overseas assignment in Germany and was on approved leave when he killed himself.
Livelsberger’s letters covered a range of topics including political grievances, societal problems and both domestic and international issues, including the war in Ukraine. He said in one letter that the U.S. was ‘terminally ill and headed toward collapse.’
Kennedy said Livelsburger, then known as ‘Matt Burg,’ was his partner in the competition and realized after seeing photos of him on the news that he was the bomber
‘His current standing was one that he was a good soldier, and clearly, in a few months leading up to what happened in front of the Trump Tower in Las Vegas, something broke,’ Kennedy said.
‘They’re very scary letters to come from somebody that’s so talented in so many different things. The selection process for Green Berets is arduous, and they’re very, very particular. Very rarely do you see this.
‘This doesn’t seem like a bad apple. It seems like somebody that was hurt or broken or very scared. I’ve been at a loss for words over the past day-and-a-half.’
The fallout from Livelsberger’s actions has raised questions about the pressures faced by elite soldiers and the warning signs that might have been missed.
His descent from a highly skilled Special Forces operator to a man seemingly consumed by anger serves as a chilling reminder of the unseen battles many soldiers may face.
Livelsberger’s letters covered a range of topics including political grievances, societal problems and both domestic and international issues, including the war in Ukraine. He said in one letter that the U.S. was ‘terminally ill and headed toward collapse’
The contents of the Cybertruck’s trunk, where the bomb was stored and detonated
Cybertruck bomber Matthew Livelsberger claimed China was stalking the US with advanced drones in an unhinged suicide note
According to Inside Edition, during the show Livelsburger spoke about his love of guns and at one point, had to stop production due to heat exhaustion
Details have come out thick and fast about the Colorado man, most recently via an unhinged suicide email uncovered by several people who received it.
Two other notes recorded on his phone and recovered by police made clear his motive was not terrorism or violence, just to draw attention to his manifesto.
Livelsberger sent the suicide email or ‘manifesto’ to retired US Army intelligence officer Sam Shoemate shortly before the bombing.
The email claimed the mysterious drones seen flying over New Jersey and sometimes other parts of the east coast were Chinese weapons.
Livelsberger warned they could be well armed, attack anywhere, and were ‘most dangerous threat to national security that has ever existed’.
Investigators probed if the bombing was connected to the terrorist attack in New Orleans, or if it was motivated by Livelsberger’s personal issues.
The FBI said in a press conference on Friday afternoon that he acted alone and his behavior was fueled by PTSD and various personal grievances.
‘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, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Las Vegas division, said.
