Abstract: A tie down assembly is removably mounted on the tailgate of a pickup truck when the tailgate is in a generally horizontally oriented deployed position. The tie down assembly includes an elongate anchor member extending from one end of the tailgate to the other end of the tailgate. First and second bracket assemblies are each mounted on a different one of the first and second ends of the elongate anchor member. Each of the bracket assemblies is shaped and dimensioned to engage detachably one of the tailgate latches such that the tailgate handle can be operated to release the first and second bracket assemblies from the tailgate latches.