Trump Reportedly Found Humor in Sensitive Intelligence About Iran's New Supreme Leader
According to a report by the New York Post citing multiple sources, US President Donald Trump received a briefing last week from American intelligence agencies containing a startling claim about Iran's new leadership. The intelligence suggested that Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father as Supreme Leader of Iran on March 8, may be homosexual, which allegedly contributed to his father's concerns about his suitability to rule the Islamic Republic.
Presidential Reaction and Intelligence Credibility
Sources familiar with the briefing described Trump's reaction as one of uncontrollable laughter, with the president reportedly laughing aloud upon hearing the information. Others present in the room joined in what was described as a "hilarious" moment, while one senior intelligence official "has not stopped laughing about it for days," according to one insider.
Three separate sources—two intelligence community officials and a person close to the White House—confirmed the briefing took place. All three emphasized that US spy agencies viewed the allegation as credible intelligence rather than disinformation designed to undermine the 56-year-old leader. One source noted the information came from "one of the most protected sources that the government has," while another added that "the fact that this was elevated to the highest of high levels shows you there's some confidence in this."
Details of the Allegations
The intelligence reportedly indicated that Mojtaba Khamenei, who earned the nickname "the power behind the robes" while serving as his aging father's gatekeeper, had a long-term sexual relationship with his childhood tutor. Another version suggested the affair was with a former employee of the Khamenei family.
Additional claims emerged regarding Mojtaba's behavior following the February 28 airstrike that killed his father and other family members. While recovering from injuries sustained in the attack, possibly under heavy medication, he allegedly made "aggressive" sexual overtures to male caregivers.
Although US agencies reportedly lacked photographic evidence of Mojtaba Khamenei's alleged sexual attraction to men, sources insisted the intelligence was solid. The information had been "whispered about inside Iran" since at least the May 2024 helicopter crash that killed then-President Ebrahim Raisi, who was considered Ali Khamenei's preferred successor.
Historical Context and Previous Reports
Elements of Mojtaba Khamenei's personal life had surfaced previously. A classified US diplomatic cable from 2008, published by WikiLeaks, documented his treatment for impotence at Wellington and Cromwell Hospitals in London. The cable noted he married "relatively late in life" around age 30 "reportedly due to an impotency problem" that required multiple extended visits to the UK for treatment.
The CBS News report on Sunday alluded to these "issues" in Mojtaba's personal life, noting his father preferred a different successor partly because of unspecified concerns. One source explained: "His father and others suspected he was gay and that was something that people were spreading to try to stop his ascension."
Political Implications and Hypocrisy Concerns
Trump had previously dismissed Mojtaba Khamenei as a "lightweight" and "unacceptable" choice to lead Iran, viewing him as unlikely to bend to US demands regarding nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The new Supreme Leader's alleged sexuality takes on particular significance given Iran's harsh laws against homosexual conduct, where sodomy is a capital offense and some gay Iranians have been publicly executed.
One source addressed the ethical dilemma of revealing someone's sexuality against their will, stating: "If there was ever a time where it was OK to out somebody, it would be when it's a leader of a repressive Islamic theocracy that hangs gay people by cranes." This perspective highlights the perceived hypocrisy of a leader potentially facing allegations that would be punishable by death under his own regime.
Current Status and Family Tragedy
Mojtaba Khamenei's current whereabouts and recovery status from the February 28 airstrikes remain unclear. The attack reportedly killed his wife Zahra and teenage son Mohammad Bagher, though he has another son and daughter who survived. The intelligence about his personal life has been "closely held" within the US government, according to insiders.
The allegations emerge against the backdrop of Iran's complex political landscape, where former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad—believed to be an ally of the younger Khamenei—famously claimed in 2007 that "In Iran, we don't have homosexuals," despite the country allowing surgical sex change operations that some gay men reportedly undergo to avoid criminal penalties.
