Is the Ayatollah Dead? Here's What Trump Thinks.

President Donald Trump said he does not believe Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is dead, after a report from The Atlantic this week indicated that he may no longer be alive or “brain dead.”

“I don’t think he’s dead,” he told “The Glenn Beck Program” on Wednesday morning regarding the questions about his health status.

.@POTUS on Mojtaba Khamenei: "He was very seriously wounded, but I don't think he's dead... It's not the most honorable group, I will tell you that... We're going to have a big victory here very soon." pic.twitter.com/bqsqhH1mZw

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 26, 2026

“He was very seriously wounded. The left side of his body, the arm, the leg, the whole thing – he was seriously wounded,” Trump added. 

“But I don’t think he is dead. And if he is, they are putting on a pretty good show because they are talking about going back to talk to him all the time to get a final blessing on things,” the president continued, calling Iranian negotiators “not the most honorable group” of people.

The Ayatollah’s father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed by the United States Armed Forces during Operation Epic Fury in February. The 56-year-old leader has not been seen one time since he took on the new role, including for his father’s funeral, according to the New York Times. 

There were frequent talks with Iran throughout the summer, which led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that was signed in June. However, the MOU largely went out the window after Iran began striking ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. 

Trump has said recently that there are no ongoing communications with the Islamic Republic. 

On the conflict overall, he told the radio show that there's going  to be a "big victory here very soon." The Trump administration recently announced "Operation Economic Outcast" with the goal of isolating nations with economic ties to the Islamic Republic. 

“Any entity that facilitates money laundering on behalf of Iran will be removed from the U.S. dollar system. The clock just started ticking. The new sectoral sanctions determinations issued today target five of Iran’s most vital lifelines that it exploits in other countries: digital assets, technology, gold, aviation and shipping," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday. 

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