Washington has seen its share of strange intelligence briefings over the decades, but the latest report circulating inside the White House might qualify as one of the most bizarre. According to multiple sources familiar with the meeting, President Trump was caught off guard during a classified briefing about Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, after intelligence officials presented a claim that would be almost unthinkable in the context of the Islamic Republic’s leadership.
The intelligence reportedly suggests that Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56 year old son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, may be gay. The allegation was described by two intelligence community officials and another source close to the White House, all of whom said the information was presented to President Trump during a recent briefing.
Sources say the President reacted with visible surprise when the information was delivered. According to those familiar with the meeting, President Trump laughed when the intelligence was explained, and others in the room reportedly found the situation just as unbelievable. One senior intelligence official involved in the discussion has reportedly been laughing about the briefing for days.
The claim itself is remarkable considering the regime Mojtaba now leads. Iran’s theocratic government enforces extremely strict religious laws, including severe punishments for homosexuality. The idea that the country’s supreme leader might secretly be gay would represent a stunning contradiction within the ruling system.
Intelligence officials told reporters that the allegation is not being treated as disinformation or foreign propaganda. Instead, the sources insisted the claim is considered credible within the intelligence community.
According to two of the sources, intelligence suggests Mojtaba maintained a long term sexual relationship with a childhood tutor. A third source described slightly different intelligence indicating the relationship may have involved someone who previously worked for the Khamenei family.
Another claim included in the briefing allegedly involved Mojtaba making aggressive sexual advances toward male caregivers while recovering from injuries. The new Iranian leader was reportedly wounded during a February airstrike that killed his father and several family members. One source suggested the behavior occurred while Mojtaba was under the influence of heavy medication during recovery.
Officials acknowledged that U.S. intelligence agencies do not possess photographic evidence confirming Mojtaba’s alleged attraction to men. However, they say the information comes from what one source described as “one of the most protected sources that the government has.”
The intelligence was reportedly handled carefully within the government. According to one insider, the information has remained tightly held inside the intelligence community for some time.
Rumors about Mojtaba Khamenei’s personal life have circulated quietly in Iran for years, particularly after the 2024 helicopter crash that killed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who had widely been viewed as the likely successor to Ali Khamenei.
President Trump has previously dismissed Mojtaba as a “lightweight” and an “unacceptable” choice to lead Iran. Analysts widely believe the new supreme leader will continue pursuing Iran’s nuclear ambitions and ballistic missile programs, policies that helped trigger the recent military conflict with the United States.
For now, the intelligence remains unconfirmed publicly. Still, the very existence of such a briefing highlights just how strange and unpredictable the power struggles inside Iran’s leadership circle have become.