- Trump has confirmed reports that CIA informed him about Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei being gay
- "Well, they did say that, but I don't know if it was only them," he said
- "I think a lot of people are saying that, which puts him off to a bad start," he said
US President Donald Trump has confirmed reports that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had informed him about Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, being gay.
A report in the New York Post had claimed earlier this month that Trump was "stunned" to learn that US intelligence indicated that Mojtaba may be gay and that his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, feared his suitability to rule Iran for that reason.
During an interview with Fox News, Trump was asked if the CIA told him if the new supreme leader was gay.
"Well, they did say that, but I don't know if it was only them. I think a lot of people are saying that, which puts him off to a bad start in that particular country," he responded.
Homosexuality is punishable by death in Iran.
The Post had reported that Trump had "laughed aloud" when he was briefed on Mojtaba being gay.
Others in the room also found it "hilarious" and joined Trump's reaction, The Post reported, citing sources.
A senior intelligence official "has not stopped laughing about it for days", the report said.
Mojtaba Khamenei Not Seen In Public
Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen or directly heard from since the airstrike that killed his father and former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and sparked a war in the Middle East.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Esmail Baghaei had last week told NDTV that he was "fine".
Trump has also in the past questioned whether the 56-year-old leader was alive.
"I don't know if he's even alive. So far, nobody's been able to show him," Trump told a news channel on March 14.
"I'm hearing he's not alive, and if he is, he should do something very smart for his country, and that's surrender," he added but called the news of his death "a rumour".
He had earlier said that he thinks Khamenei is alive but "damaged".
"I think he probably is (alive). I think he is damaged, but I think he's probably alive in some form, you know," he told Fox News.
