US President Donald Trump has indicated he is “not happy” with the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new Supreme Leader, according to a report citing a prominent media anchor.
Brian Kilmeade, host on a major news outlet, quoted the president as saying he was dissatisfied with Iran’s choice of Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his late father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
No official statement from the White House has been issued yet.
Earlier, Trump had warned that if Iran appointed “a bad person” to replace Ayatollah Khamenei, it would lead to the “worst-case scenario” for the country.
He suggested that Mojtaba Khamenei’s elevation delivers precisely that outcome. The 56-year-old son of the late Supreme Leader has no prior formal political experience or government position but is widely regarded inside Iran as a quiet, enigmatic figure who has worked behind the scenes to consolidate the regime’s power.
Regional experts note that while the West knows little about him, Mojtaba Khamenei has long been influential, particularly as a gatekeeper to his father and through his close ties to the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is responsible for defending the Islamic Republic and its borders.
Many observers inside Iran consider him more hard-line than his father, though his leadership style will become clearer in the coming days as the country remains embroiled in war.
One analyst described him as having “used his father’s influence” and being “a very powerful person, particularly with the Revolutionary Guards.” Despite reported displeasure from the Trump administration, Mojtaba Khamenei has received swift pledges of allegiance and support from Iran’s President, armed forces, the IRGC, and the Supreme National Security Council.
Also read: Iranian President, army pledge allegiance to Mojtaba Khamenei
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