Matthew Livelsberger Had Theory About Mystery Drones: Alleged Manifesto

2 days ago 10

Matthew Livelsberger, a Green Beret and the main suspect in the Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas, shared his concerning theory about China and the mystery drones that have plagued the East Coast last year, according to his alleged manifesto that another former soldier says he received.

Newsweek has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) for comment via email.

Why It Matters

Livelsberger, 37, died in the explosion outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day. The explosion also injured multiple people in the surrounding area. Police say the damage could have been worse if the Cybertruck had not contained much of the explosion.

In an email alleged to have been sent by Livelsberger a day before the explosion, he claimed to have a theory behind the multiple drone sightings that occurred in November and December 2024. The sightings sparked widespread public concern and gave rise to multiple conspiracy theories.

What To Know

Sam Shoemate, a former intelligence officer and retired chief warrant officer with the U.S. Army, claimed to have received the email from Livelsberger during his Friday appearance on the Shawn Ryan Show, a podcast with more than 3 million subscribers on YouTube.

Ryan, a former Marine who also has 1 million followers on Instagram including Joe Rogan and Ivanka Trump, shared the email on social media that they purport to be from Livelsberger.

In his alleged email manifesto, according to Shoemate, Livelsberger warned that the drones spotted across the East Coast last year, pose "the most dangerous threat to national security that has ever existed."

The email warned that drones are sent from China and "basically have an unlimited payload capacity and can park it over the WH if they wanted. It's checkmate."

The alleged email stated that the drones were being used in a similar fashion to the Chinese spy balloon that was shot down off the coast of South Carolina in 2023, as both a show of force and for surveillance.

"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 U.S. Only we and China have this capability," the alleged email reads. "China has been launching them from the Atlantic from submarines for years, but this activity recently has picked up."

The alleged email urged the U.S. government to publicly share the information they have on Beijing's use of drones and warned "China is poised to attack anywhere in the East Coast."

The FBI and DHS said in a joint statement last month that there was "no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus."

Livelsberger had some experience with drones after he accepted a role as a remote and autonomous systems manager while stationed at Camp Panzer Kaserne just southwest of Stuttgart, Germany, in November 2024. In that job, he helped to integrate drones into the Army and ensured they were operated and maintained to a sufficient standard.

In Livelsberger's alleged email, he also talks about being "followed" by the FBI or DHS and his fears they would not let him cross into Mexico.

He allegedly also mentions being armed and having a "massive VBIED," a military acronym for a car bomb.

The decorated soldier was found to have died from a suspected self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Among the charred items found inside the Cybertruck were a handgun at Livelsberger's feet, another firearm, fireworks, a passport, a military ID, credit cards, an iPhone and a smartwatch.

The Alleged Manifesto in Full

In case I do not make it to my decision point or on to the Mexico border, I am sending this now. Please do not release this until 1JAN and keep my identity private until then.

First off, I am not under duress or hostile influence or control. My first car was a 2006 Black Ford Mustang V6 for verification.

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 U.S. Only we and China have this capability.

Our OPCEN location for this activity in the box is below.

China has been launching them from the Atlantic from submarines for years, but this activity recently has picked up. As of now, it is just a show of force and they are using it similar to how they used the balloon for sigint and isr, which are also part of the integrated comms system. There are dozens of those balloons in the air at any given time.

The 'so what?' is because of the speed and stealth of these unmanned AC. They are the most dangerous threat to national security that has ever existed. They basically have an unlimited payload capacity and can park it over the WH if they wanted. It's checkmate.

USG needs to give the history of this, how we are employing and weaponizing it, how China is employing them, and what the way forward is. China is poised to attack anywhere in the East Coast.

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 I 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.

I have knowledge of this program and also war crimes that were covered up during airstrikes in Nimruz Province Afghanistan in 2019 by the admin, DoD, DEA, and CIA.

I conducted targeting for these strikes of over 125 buildings (65 were struck because of CIVCAS) that killed hundreds of civilians in a single day.

USFORA continued strikes after spotting civilians on initial ISR, it was supposed to take 6 minutes and scramble all aircraft in CENTCOM. The UN basically called these war crimes but the administration made them disappear.

I was part of that cover up with USFORA and agent [redacted] of the DEA. So I don't know if my abduction attempt is related to either.

I worked with GEN Millers IO staff on this as well as the response to Bala Murghab.

AOB-S Commander at the time [redacted] can validate this.

You need to elevate this to the media so we can avoid a world war because this is a mutually assured destruction situation.

For vetting, my LinkedIn is Matt Berg or Matthew Livelsberger, active duty 18Z out of 1-10 my profile is public. I have an active TSSCI with UAP and USAP access.

What People Are Saying

Sam Shoemate said he took the information to the Shawn Ryan Show "because he has the platform to handle the magnitude of this information and will do so as objectively as possible."

Podcast host and former U.S. Marine Shawn Ryan said after posting the episode, "My family and I are disappearing for a few days. My account will be active but it will not be me behind the wheel. What we are about to release is mind boggling and will raise a lot of questions."