‘The U.S.A. is breaking down’: Trump reacts to recent attack in New Orleans

President-elect Donald Trump went on a social media blast following the recent truck attack in New Orleans that killed 15 people, though he has yet to make a specific comment on the Tesla Cybertruck explosion that occurred outside of his hotel in Las Vegas.

On New Year’s Day a Cybertruck exploded outside of the Trump International Hotel, injuring seven bystanders. Police identified the driver of the vehicle as Matthew Livelsberger, an active duty military operations sergeant from Colorado who died by suicide just before the explosion.

On his Truth Social, the president-elect said the crime rate in the country is at a “level that nobody has ever seen before.”

“Our hearts are with all the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers at the New Orleans Police Department,” he wrote on Wednesday. “The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!”

Later he posted “this is what happens when you have OPEN BORDERS and said the “DOJ, FBI, and Democrat state and local prosecutors have not done their job,” calling them incompetent and corrupt.

It wasn’t clear what event he was referring to.

“The USA is breaking down,” he wrote. “A violent erosion of Safety, National Security, and Democracy is taking place across our Nation. Only strength and powerful leadership will stop it.”

The FBI reported national crime decreased an estimated 3 percent in 2023 compared to 2022, according to its 2023 Crime in the Nation Statistics. Both the suspect in the New Orleans attack and the Las Vegas attack are U.S. citizens.

Eric Trump, a son of Trump and executive vice president of the Trump Organization, posted on X about the explosion, praising the fire department and local law enforcement “for their swift response and professionalism.”

First Lady Melania Trump posted Wednesday on X that the “incidents of violence that have impacted our communities are deeply concerning.”

“The brutality must stop,” Melania Trump said. “My heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the families who are experiencing such profound grief and loss.”

On Thursday, President Joe Biden said he convened with his homeland security team to discuss both the attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas.

“We’re making every resource available to law enforcement to ensure there are no remaining threats to Americans,” he wrote on X.

A spokesperson for Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo said the governor is grateful for the diligent response efforts from law enforcement partners and referred all inquiries to the Metropolitan Police Department.

John Sadler, spokesperson for the attorney general’s office, said the office has been in touch with Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill, Gov. Joe Lombardo and other law enforcement partners.

“Many details of the attack, including a possible motive, have not yet been confirmed, but we are confident in the investigation and in continued efforts to ensure the public’s safety,” Sadler said in a statement to the Review-Journal.

In the wake of the explosion, Nevada officials also expressed gratitude for the first responders at the scene.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto said she is grateful to Metro, the FBI and all the first responders for their work to keep Las Vegas safe.

“I have confidence in the ongoing work by local, state, and federal law enforcement as this investigation continues,” she said Wednesday on X.

Sen. Jacky Rosen, Rep. Dina Titus and Rep. Susie Lee said on Wednesday their offices are monitoring the situation closely and is in contact with state and local officials.

Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., called both incidents “senseless acts of violence” that were “aimed at instilling fear and terror.”

“My sincere condolences go out to the victims who have been impacted by these heartbreaking tragedies,” he said in the statement. “I am thankful for our local law enforcement officers who bravely ran into danger, putting their lives on the line, to protect innocent civilians.”

As chairman of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Amodei said he will work with federal Homeland Security partners to understand the full extent of the attacks in the coming days.

Other Republican allies to Trump also reacted to the news.

Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald said he was concerned when he learned Trump’s hotel was targeted, but he commended the sheriff’s work to secure the area and conduct a thorough investigation.

“He’s done a really good job to get to the bottom of it,” he said. “We’re in different times. We have to watch our surroundings and be cognizant of who we are around.”

McDonald said he was “caught off guard” when he learned Livelsberger was a registered No Labels voter.

During the election McDonald discussed politics with several people who expressed losing faith in government and not liking either major party.

“A lot of people just don’t trust the government anymore, and it’s scary,” McDonald said.

GOP Senate candidate and veteran Sam Brown called it a “terrible situation” on X and thanked the first responders and the staff at the hotel.

If you’re thinking about suicide, or are worried about a friend or loved one, help is available 24/7 by calling or texting the Lifeline network at 988. Live chat is available at 988lifeline.org. Additionally, the Crisis Text Line is a free, national service available 24/7. Text HOME to 741741.

Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on X.