Trump Questions Iran’s New Supreme Leader’s Status

On Saturday, President Donald Trump raised doubts about whether Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader is still alive, suggesting that if he has survived recent offensive operations by the U.S. and Israel, he should surrender. “We don’t even know if he’s alive. No one has seen him so far,” Trump said during a half-hour phone interview with NBC News. “I hear he’s not alive. If he is, you should do the very smart thing for your country: surrender.” However, Trump admitted that this information is still unverified, calling it merely a “rumor.”

Mojtaba Khamenei, aged 56, took over leadership following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, in a U.S. and Israeli strike on February 28. His first public comments were broadcast by state television on Thursday, but there was no accompanying video or audio.

At a Pentagon briefing on Friday, Army Secretary Pete Hegseth provided a blunt analysis. “We are aware that someone who is not the new so-called supreme leader may be injured and disfigured,” he told reporters, indicating the absence of clear evidence of Khamenei’s survival as a sign of vulnerability within the Iranian regime. “There are a lot of cameras and a lot of voice recorders in Iran. Why a written statement? I think you know the reason. His father is dead. He’s scared, he’s injured, he’s on the run. And he has no legitimacy,” Hegseth remarked.

However, Tehran has pushed back against these allegations. Iranian Ambassador to Japan, Peyman Saadat, stated on Asahi TV that while Khamenei had injuries from the conflict, he remains effective as a leader. Other Iranian officials earlier reported that his injuries were not serious.

During a virtual call with G7 leaders, Trump also commented on Khamenei’s poor condition and mentioned that nobody in Iran can officially propose surrender, according to Axios.

In addition to expressing skepticism about Khamenei’s leadership, Trump claimed that U.S. military operations had “completely destroyed” Kharg Island, a major hub for Iranian oil exports, and hinted at potential additional strikes. “We might do a few more strikes just for fun,” he said, while emphasizing that the military had managed to protect the island’s energy infrastructure.

Trump dismissed the idea of a ceasefire, referring to Iran’s terms as insufficient, and expressed little concern for the impact of rising gasoline prices. He also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, stating, “Doing business with Mr. Zelensky is much more difficult than doing business with Russian President Vladimir Putin.”