PDB Afternoon Bulletin | January 3rd, 2024: Las Vegas Green Beret Bomber Revealed & Elite Ukrainian Troops Go AWOL - The President's Daily Brief

Summary5 min read

PDB Afternoon Bulletin | January 3rd, 2024: Las Vegas Green Beret Bomber Revealed & Elite Ukrainian Troops Go AWOL

Host: Mike Baker | Release Date: January 3, 2025

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief hosted by former CIA Operations Officer Mike Baker, two major stories take center stage: the identification of the perpetrator behind the recent Cybertruck bombing in Las Vegas and alarming reports of mass desertion within an elite Ukrainian military brigade. Baker provides a comprehensive analysis of both events, offering insights into their implications for national security and international relations.

1. Las Vegas Cybertruck Bombing: The Tragic Tale of Matthew Allen Leibelsberger

[00:12]
Mike Baker opens the bulletin by addressing the Cybertruck bombing that occurred outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day. The attacker has been identified as Matthew Allen Leibelsberger, a 37-year-old active-duty US Army Green Beret from Colorado.

Military Background and Service Record
Leibelsberger is portrayed as a highly decorated soldier with a commendable service history. Baker notes, “He had served in the army since 2006 and amassed an impressive service record,” highlighting his five Bronze Stars (one with a valor device), a Combat Infantry Badge, and an Army Commendation Medal with Valor. His deployments included two tours in Afghanistan and service in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia, and the Congo, underscoring his extensive experience.

[01:15]
Authorities determined Leibelsberger's identity through forensic evidence, including tattoos, credit cards, military ID, and passport found at the scene. Tragically, he was discovered dead inside the Cybertruck from what police believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound using a Desert Eagle .50 caliber pistol.

Personal Struggles and Possible Motives
Baker delves into Leibelsberger's personal life, revealing significant turmoil that may have contributed to the incident. “[Leibelsberger’s] wife... broke up with him just a week before the incident,” Baker explains at [02:00], citing allegations of infidelity as a triggering factor. The separation led him to leave their Colorado Springs home shortly after Christmas, and he had not been in contact with his wife in the days leading up to the bombing.

Connection to Previous Terror Attack
A concerning parallel is drawn between Leibelsberger’s method of renting the Cybertruck via the Turo app and the perpetrator of a prior terror attack in New Orleans on the same day. This similarity raises questions about potential networks or shared motives, although early investigations lean towards suicide over coordinated terrorism.

[02:55]
Baker emphasizes the tragic nature of the event, stating, “Emerging evidence points more strongly to essentially a tragic end for a soldier who served his country for almost two decades.” This perspective highlights the complexity of distinguishing between acts of terrorism and personal despair, especially involving military personnel.

Impact and Ongoing Investigation
The explosion caused substantial damage to the hotel's facade and injured three individuals, but there were no other fatalities. Authorities remain vigilant, continuing to explore all possible motives while considering Leibelsberger's personal struggles as a significant factor.

2. Elite Ukrainian Brigade Faces Mass Desertion Amidst Conflict

[04:45]
Shifting focus to international affairs, Baker reports on unsettling developments within Ukraine’s military structure. Specifically, he discusses the mass desertion of soldiers from the Anne of Kyiv Brigade, an elite infantry unit trained and equipped by Western allies, including France.

Formation and Purpose of the Brigade
The Anne of Kyiv Brigade, named after an 11th-century Kiev princess, was envisioned as a model of Western military support. Comprising approximately 5,800 soldiers, the brigade underwent nine months of intensive training in Western Ukraine, Poland, and France. French President Emmanuel Macron had previously met with the unit during a visit to a French military base, signaling high-level international investment in their capabilities.

[05:10]
Despite the promising start, the brigade has encountered severe internal issues. Reports indicate that around 1,700 soldiers—nearly a third of the unit—have deserted without engaging in combat. Baker references a Ukrainian journalist’s revelations that many soldiers were forcibly recruited or went AWOL during training in France, with about 500 troops still unaccounted for as of November.

Challenges Faced by the Brigade
The brigade's deployment to Pokrovsk, a strategic logistics hub in the Donetsk region, was met with heavy losses, including the destruction of tanks and armored vehicles. Baker attributes the high desertion rate to "incompetent and corrupt command," undermining the unit’s effectiveness and morale.

[07:20]
“The desertion reports highlight the challenges Ukraine faces in maintaining morale and cohesion within its military, even as Western support does continue to flow,” Baker observes. This situation raises critical questions about the sustainability of forming new brigades versus reinforcing and rotating existing units to better manage the ongoing conflict.

Strategic Implications
Critics argue that President Zelensky’s strategy of continuously forming new elite units like the Anne of Kyiv Brigade may not be the most effective approach in a prolonged conflict. The high desertion rates suggest deeper issues within military structure and leadership that could impede Ukraine’s defensive and offensive capabilities against Russian forces.

Conclusion

In this episode, Mike Baker effectively highlights two significant and emotionally charged issues: the tragic case of Matthew Allen Leibelsberger, a decorated Green Beret whose personal struggles may have led to the Las Vegas Cybertruck bombing, and the troubling mass desertion within Ukraine's Anne of Kyiv Brigade, which underscores the complexities and challenges faced by Ukrainian military forces amidst ongoing conflict. Both stories illuminate the profound human and strategic challenges impacting national and international security landscapes.

Upcoming: Baker teases the upcoming PDB Situation Report, featuring experts like China specialist Gordon Chang and retired FBI agent Kurt Peipel, who will analyze the recent terror attacks and delve into Xi Jinping’s New Year's address, covering topics from the Chinese economy to Taiwan’s status.

Stay informed, stay safe, and stay cool.

Notable Quotes:

[02:55] Mike Baker: “Emerging evidence points more strongly to essentially a tragic end for a soldier who served his country for almost two decades.”
[07:20] Mike Baker: “These desertion reports highlight the challenges Ukraine faces in maintaining morale and cohesion within its military, even as Western support does continue to flow.”

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Transcript3 lines

[00:12]
Mike Baker
It's Friday the 3rd of January. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed today. We'll start off with what we've learned about the man behind Wednesday's cybertruck bombing outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. Later in the show, we'll dig into reports of a mass desertion by Western trained Ukrainian soldiers, hundreds of whom reportedly went AWOL without firing a shot. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. I want to bring you the latest on the cybertruck bombing outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas that took place on New Year's Day. Now, authorities have identified the driver of the explosive laden Tesla Cybertruck as 37 year old Matthew Allen Leibelsberger. Now he's an active duty US army service member from Colorado. Officials say that Leibelsberger, a decorated Green Beret, was identified at the scene using his tattoos, credit cards, military ID and passport. He was found dead inside the truck from what police believe was a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head. A Desert Eagle.50 caliber pistol was recovered in the vehicle. Leibelberger had recently returned from an overseas assignment in Germany and was on approved leave at the time of the incident. He had served in the army since 2006 and amassed an impressive service record. Among his decorations were five Bronze Stars, one with a valor device for for courage under fire, a Combat Infantry Badge and an Army Commendation Medal with Valor. He had deployed twice to Afghanistan and also served in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and the Congo. That's according to the Associated Press. Law enforcement is working to piece together a motive, but early indications suggest this was likely a suicide rather than an act of terrorism. Investigators are exploring Leibelsberger's personal life, which appears to have been in turmoil. Sources told the Post that his wife, with whom he shares a baby daughter, broke up with him just a week before the incident. She reportedly confronted him over alleged infidelity, leading him to leave their Colorado Springs home the day after Christmas. One relative said his wife had not heard from him in several days after he left. After leaving Colorado, Leibelberger rented the Tesla cybertruck via the Turo app and made his way to Las Vegas. Now that's the same app used by the man who carried out the terror attack in New Orleans just hours earlier on New Year's Day. He parked the truck in front of the Trump International Hotel and detonated the explosives stashed inside. The blast caused significant damage to the hotel's facade and injured three people, but miraculously the explosion resulted in no other fatalities. While authorities continue to investigate the incident, they have not ruled out terrorism as a potential motive. However, the emerging evidence, including Levels Burger's personal struggles and apparent suicide, points more strongly to essentially a tragic end for a soldier who served his country for almost two decades. Coming up next, the story of a Ukrainian brigade trained and armed by the west, now facing accusations of mass desertion before serving in combat. More on that after the break.
[03:53]
Tucker Carlson
Hey, it's Tucker Carlson. We are proud to provide a venue for Oliver Stone's son Sean, who's a friend of ours and also a filmmaker, his latest documentary series called all the President's Men. It's a multi part series in which he explains in vivid detail how the First Trump administration, 2016-2020, was subverted from the very first day by the deep state who picked off one by one members of the then president's inner circle. And some of them are still on the scene. You will see in depth interviews with, for example, Cash Patel, who was the incoming president's new FBI director, with Mike Flynn and many other people, you know, whose whole stories you may not have heard before. It's an amazing series. All the President's Men by Sean Stone playing right now ontucker carlson.com we're proud to have it. We think you'll like it.
[04:46]
Mike Baker
Welcome back to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Turning now to Ukraine, where troubling reports have emerged about a mass desertion within one of the country's newest elite military brigades. Ukrainian authorities have launched a criminal investigation into allegations of desertion and abuse of power after hundreds of soldiers reportedly fled an army unit that was partly trained by France. This infantry brigade, named Anne of kyiv after an 11th century Kiev princess who became a French queen, is made up of roughly 5,800 soldiers. It was intended to be a showcase of Western military support and training. The brigade spent nine months preparing in Western Ukraine, Poland and France. During this time, it gained significant attention. French President Emmanuel Macron even met with members of the unit during a publicized visit to a French military base back in October. Equipped with advanced Western weaponry, the brigade was well armed and well equipped and the unit's mission was clear. Bring Western style battlefield tactics and hardware to the front lines. By November, the brigade was deemed ready for deployment, with French officials confident that these Ukrainian troops had been adequately trained to confront the Russian forces. However, reports indicate that the brigade has faced significant internal challenges, including incompetent and corrupt command. A Ukrainian journalist revealed last week that even before the unit had reached the battlefield 1700 servicemen had deserted the 1700 out of approximately 5800. That's nearly a third of the brigade leaving their posts without firing a shot. The reasons behind this alarming desertion rate, well, are multifaceted. According to the journalist, many soldiers in the brigade had been forcibly recruited off the streets. Others reportedly went AWOL during training in France, with approximately 50 soldiers disappearing at that time. By November, around 500 troops from the unit were still unaccounted for. The Ann of Kyiv Brigade was eventually deployed to Pokrovsk, a critical logistics hub in Ukraine's defense against Russian advances in the eastern Donetsk region. But the brigade faced heavy losses in battle, including the destruction of tanks and armored vehicles. Critics are now questioning President Zelensky's strategy of forming new brigades like this one, instead of focusing on rotating and rearming existing units as the war grinds on. These desertion reports highlight the challenges, of course, that Ukraine faces in maintaining morale and cohesion within its military, even as Western support does continue to flow. And that, my friends, is the PDB Afternoon bulletin for Friday 3rd January. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me@pdbthe first tv.com and of course, well, it being Friday and all, that can only mean one thing. A brand new episode of the PDB Situation Report is waiting in the wings. The latest Situation Report airs tonight at 10pm on the first TV and as always, is also available on our YouTube channel at President's Daily Brief and all podcast platforms everywhere in podcast land. Our guests this weekend include the China expert and author Gordon Chang and retired senior FBI agent Kurt Peipel. We'll be examining the New Orleans terror attack and the Vegas cybertruck incident. And we'll break down Xi Jinping's New Year's address. Always exciting, everything from the state of the Chinese economy to the regime's timeline for Taiwan. It's insightful, it's informative, and it's easy to digest. It won't leave you with that gassy, bloated feeling. I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back over the weekend with the PDB Situation Report. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.