Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside Trump Hotel in Las Vegas investigated as possible act of terrorism, sources say

Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside Trump Hotel in Las Vegas investigated as possible act of terrorism, sources say


A Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside the Trump Towers in Las Vegas, killing at least one person, is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism, multiple sources with knowledge of the investigation told CBS News. 

A person inside the vehicle died and seven others suffered minor injuries, police said. Two sources with knowledge of the investigation confirmed to CBS News that investigators are working to determine whether fireworks were responsible for the truck explosion. 

US-POLITICS-TRUMP-TESLA
A Tesla Cybertruck is shown after it caught fire and exploded outside the lobby of President-elect Donald Trump’s hotel, on January 1, 2025, in Las Vegas.

WADE VANDERVORT/AFP via Getty Images


“There is one deceased individual in the Cybertruck, and I don’t know whether it’s a male or female,” said Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department at a press conference.

“At this time, we are investigating a number of leads, and I’m not prepared to release any of that information to you just yet. I can tell you that there are seven victims right now that sustained injuries from the explosion,” he added. The injuries are reportedly minor, said McMahill. 

McMahill noted that officials are “very well aware” of the deadly New Orleans attack on Wednesday, when a man intentionally drove a pickup truck into a crowd of revelers on Bourbon Street, killing at least 15 people. The FBI said “weapons and a potential IED,” or improvised explosive device, were found in his vehicle.

Because of the timing, McMahill said officials are “taking all of the precautions that we need to take to keep our community safe.”

“We’re looking for secondary devices,” he added.

President Biden said Wednesday evening that law enforcement and the intelligence community are investigating whether there’s any possible connection with the New Orleans attack, but “thus far there’s nothing to report.” 

The Cybertruck, a 2024 model, pulled up to the hotel’s glass entrance doors, McMahill said. Smoke began emerging from the vehicle, and then a large explosion occurred. 

Several videos posted on social media showed the blast and the Cybertruck engulfed in flames.

Firefighters work at the Tesla Cybertruck which burned at the entrance of Trump Tower in Las Vegas
Trump Tower stands behind yellow crime scene tape after a Tesla Cybertruck exploded and burned at the entrance of the building in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Jan. 1, 2025.

Ronda Churchill / REUTERS


In the past year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has become a major donor and close adviser to Trump, with the billionaire tasked to head up Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Musk, along with his co-leader of DOGE, Vivek Ramaswamy, are aiming to cut billions in federal spending.

“[O]bviously a Cybertruck, the Trump Hotel — there’s lots of questions that we have to answer as we move forward with that,” McMahill said.

Tesla didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a post on X, Musk said The whole Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now. Will post more information as soon as we learn anything. We’ve never seen anything like this.”

In another post a few hours later, he said the blast “was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself.”

Evacuation at Trump Las Vegas hotel

A county spokeswoman said in a statement that the fire in the valet area of the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas was reported at 8:40 a.m. Details about the incident were initially sketchy.

“I know you have a lot of questions,” Jeremy Schwartz, acting FBI Special Agent in Charge for the Las Vegas office, said at the news conference. “We don’t have a lot of answers.”

Eric Trump, one of the president-elect’s sons, posted about the fire on X, saying that an “electric vehicle fire occurred in the porte cochère of Trump Las Vegas.” 

Officials urged people to stay away from the area around the Trump Las Vegas hotel, which was evacuated. The 64-story hotel is just off the famed Las Vegas Strip and across the street from the Fashion Show Las Vegas shopping mall.

Tesla introduced its steel-clad, futuristic-looking Cybertruck in 2023, with Musk at the time touting the vehicle’s bullet-proof windows. The all-wheel Cybertruck ranges in price from about $80,000 to $100,000. 

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