Tesla Cybertruck Explodes Outside Trump Hotel, One Dead, Seven Injured

A Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, killing at least one person and injuring seven others, police confirmed on Wednesday. The blast occurred when the electric vehicle, manufactured by Tesla—whose CEO, Elon Musk, is a supporter of President-elect Donald Trump—pulled up to the hotel’s glass entrance and detonated.

Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill reported that the explosion, which was followed by smaller blasts resembling fireworks, left one individual dead inside the truck. Seven people suffered minor injuries, and the hotel was evacuated in response. McMahill revealed that the vehicle contained gasoline, camping fuel canisters, and large firework mortars, which may have contributed to the severity of the explosion.

Though initial investigations suggested that the blast appeared to be an isolated incident, law enforcement and the FBI are exploring whether it could be linked to terrorism. “We have no indication that this was related to any organized terror activity,” said McMahill, but he acknowledged the unusual circumstances involving the Tesla, Trump Tower, and the vehicle’s unusual contents.

President Joe Biden stated that authorities were also looking into any possible connection between the Las Vegas explosion and an earlier incident in New Orleans, where a truck rammed into a crowd of New Year’s revelers, killing at least 15 people. However, Biden emphasized that no links had yet been found between the two events.

FBI agent Jeremy Schwartz added that an FBI joint terrorism task force was working to identify the person involved in the Las Vegas incident and to determine if the explosion could be classified as an act of terrorism.

There has been public concern over the relationship between Musk and Trump, given Musk’s support for Trump during the 2024 election and his involvement in a government commission under Trump. Sheriff McMahill mentioned this connection, noting that “there’s obviously things to be concerned about,” though he reiterated that there was no clear evidence of any link to jihadist groups or extremist ideology at this time.

Musk, responding to the explosion on his social media platform X, called the event “unrelated to the vehicle itself” and stated that Tesla’s senior team was investigating the incident. He expressed that this type of explosion was unprecedented for the company.

Police revealed that the Cybertruck had been rented through the Turo car-sharing app, which was also involved in the New Orleans attack. However, law enforcement stressed that both renters had no criminal history suggesting they posed a security threat.

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to piece together the cause of the explosion and whether it might be connected to larger security concerns.