Is Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Gay? Donald Trump Reacts To US Intelligence Claims

US President Donald Trump was reportedly left surprised during a recent intelligence briefing after being told about an unverified claim concerning Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's personal life, according to a report by the New York Post.

The publication, citing unnamed intelligence community officials and a source close to the White House, said US spy agencies viewed the allegation as credible, though no independent public evidence has been produced to support it.

The report said Trump laughed when he was briefed on the claim, while others in the room also reacted with amusement. However, the allegation remains unverified, has not been independently confirmed by major international news agencies, and was not officially commented on by the White House.

Report says intelligence claim was treated as credible

According to the report, two intelligence community officials and a third person close to the White House said US agencies did not view the allegation as a disinformation effort aimed at undermining Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, but as a credible intelligence assessment.

One source quoted in the report said the information was "derived from one of the most protected sources that the government has." Another added, "The fact that this was elevated to the highest of high levels shows you there's some confidence in this."

The publication said the claim was significant enough to be included in a high-level briefing to Trump, who has previously described Mojtaba Khamenei as a "lightweight" and an "unacceptable" choice to lead Iran.

Mojtaba was selected as Iran's supreme leader on March 8 following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and is widely seen as unlikely to soften Tehran's position on its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

Allegations include claimed long-term relationship and family concerns

The report alleged that two of its sources said Mojtaba had been involved in a long-term sexual relationship with his childhood tutor. A third source reportedly said the alleged relationship involved a person who had previously worked for the Khamenei family.

It also claimed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had concerns about his son's suitability to lead the Islamic Republic because of suspicions surrounding his personal life.

The article pointed to a CBS News reference that said the elder Khamenei preferred another successor in part because of unspecified "issues" in Mojtaba's "personal life." However, that mention did not independently confirm the specific allegation.

One source cited in the report said, "His father and others suspected he was gay and that was something that people were spreading to try to stop his ascension."

No public proof offered as report cites past diplomatic cable

The report acknowledged that US intelligence agencies do not have photographic evidence to support the allegation, though its sources insisted the information was regarded as solid within intelligence circles.

It also referred to a classified 2008 US diplomatic cable, later published by WikiLeaks, that said Mojtaba had reportedly undergone treatment in the United Kingdom for impotence. That document, however, did not mention his sexual orientation and does not independently verify the current claims.

The State Department file said Mojtaba married "relatively late in life" at around age 30, "reportedly due to an impotency problem treated and eventually resolved during three extended visits to the UK, at Wellington and Cromwell Hospitals, London."

"Mojtaba was expected by his family to produce children quickly, but needed a fourth visit to the UK for medical treatment; after a stay of two months, his wife became pregnant," the leaked file said.

Report also cites alleged conduct during recovery after airstrike

The report further claimed that Mojtaba Khamenei, who was believed to have been wounded in the February 28 airstrike that killed his father and other family members, had made "aggressive" sexual overtures towards male caregivers while recovering.

According to the article, one source suggested this may have happened while he was under the influence of heavy medication. That allegation also remains unverified and has not been independently corroborated.

The report said Mojtaba's wife Zahra and teenage son Mohammad Bagher were believed to have died in the same airstrike, while he is also said to have another son and a daughter. His current whereabouts and the status of his recovery remain unclear.

The White House did not comment on the report.