Trump says Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei is alive but wounded
US President Donald Trump stated he believes the Iranian leader survived an assassination attempt and is seriously injured.
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made
Mojtaba Khamenei
Photograph: khamenei.ir via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
What this story says
- US President Donald Trump stated he believes Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, is alive but seriously wounded.
- Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared in public since assuming leadership after his father's assassination.
- Trump claimed the left side of Khamenei's body, including his arm and leg, was injured.
- Trump also commented that the Strait of Hormuz is open and that mines have been cleared.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 50 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 38 of the 88 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
42/100
Craft
59/100
Hype
41/100
88 sources · methodology
Missing from the left
Only 4 of the 50 outlets with a published leaning rating that ran this story are rated left.
A reader who follows the left would not have seen this. We report the absence rather than explain it: outlets choose what to cover for many reasons, and we have no evidence about which one applies here.
US President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that he believes Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is alive, though seriously wounded. Khamenei has not been seen publicly since he took over the leadership role after his father's assassination. Trump made these remarks in a telephonic interview with radio host Glenn Beck.
Trump described the injuries to Khamenei as affecting the left side of his body, including his arm and leg. He added that if Khamenei were not alive, Iran would be maintaining a very convincing facade. The Iranian leader has been absent from public view for six months, fueling speculation about his condition and whereabouts amid ongoing conflict.
Reports indicate that Iran's Fars news agency released an undated video purportedly showing Khamenei listening to a student present a thesis. Hindustan Times stated it could not independently verify the video's authenticity. Earlier reports had surfaced suggesting Khamenei was hospitalised and near death, and he also missed his father's funeral.
Trump also commented on the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that it is fully open and that mines have been cleared. He stated that many ships are now transiting the waterway.
Disagreement on details of injuries
While multiple reports state Trump claimed Khamenei was wounded on the left side of his body, including his arm and leg, some digests provide slightly different details. For instance, El Confidencial reports Trump saying the arm, leg, and 'whole side' were injured. Legit.ng reports Trump assessing Khamenei's health as 'very seriously wounded' without specifying body parts.
What the coverage left out
None of the left-rated digests mention Donald Trump's comments regarding the Strait of Hormuz. None of the right-rated digests mention the Fars news agency video or the inability of Hindustan Times to verify its authenticity.
Coverage settled. We checked this 68 times and stopped on 1 Sept 2026, 12:30. The figures above are what it finished at.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
4 rated outlets
- The left-rated report from Le Monde focused on Donald Trump's statement that he does not believe Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is dead. The report noted that Khamenei has not appeared publicly since February 28, the date of the bombings carried out by the United States and Israel during which his father was killed.
Centre
20 rated outlets
- Centre-rated reports led with US President Donald Trump's assertion that Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is alive but seriously wounded. Hindustan Times, which provided a full report, included Trump's specific comments about the left side of Khamenei's body being injured, his belief that Iran would maintain a strong facade if the leader were deceased, and his statements about the Strait of Hormuz being open. Newsweek's digest highlighted Trump's claim that Khamenei survived, while also posing the question of whether the IRGC had turned him into a wartime puppet. El Periódico, informacion.es, laprovincia.es, and Lietuvos Radijas ir Televizija all reported Trump's belief that Khamenei is alive despite serious injuries sustained during the February offensive. Jerusalem Post also quoted Trump stating he does not think Khamenei is dead and was very seriously wounded.
Right
26 rated outlets
- Right-rated reports from outlets including Libertad Digital, Clarin, Arutz Sheva, El Universo, Anadolu Ajansı, Le Figaro, and Daily Express focused on Donald Trump's statements that Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is alive but seriously wounded. Arutz Sheva and Anadolu Ajansı also included Trump's praise for US military operations and his prediction of a 'very big victory.' Clarin mentioned Trump's confirmation of the CIA director's visit to Moscow. Daily Express noted that the US President addressed the Iranian leader in hiding.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover Trump says Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei is alive but wounded?
- Of the 50 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 8% are rated left, 40% are rated centre, 52% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 88. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is Trump says Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei is alive but wounded left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 50 rated outlets on this story, 8% are rated left, 40% are rated centre, 52% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of Trump says Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei is alive but wounded biased?
- Trump says Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei is alive but wounded is one event reported by 88 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which side is not reporting Trump says Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei is alive but wounded?
- When we first saw this story, outlets rated left had barely covered it. Coverage accretes for hours after an event, so that is where to look rather than a verdict — the split above is the current count, and it is the one to read.
- Which outlets covered Trump says Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei is alive but wounded?
- 88 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What did Donald Trump say about Mojtaba Khamenei's health?
- Donald Trump stated he believes Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is alive but seriously wounded. He specified that the left side of Khamenei's body, including his arm and leg, was injured.
- Has Mojtaba Khamenei been seen in public recently?
- No, Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen publicly since taking over as Supreme Leader following his father's assassination. This absence has fueled speculation about his condition and whereabouts.
- What did Trump say about the Strait of Hormuz?
- Donald Trump asserted that the Strait of Hormuz is open and that mines have been cleared. He stated that a significant number of ships are now transiting the waterway.
Read it at the source
89 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
4- Trump says he believes Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei still alive (opens The Hindu in a new tab)
- Trump believes Iran's supreme leader is still alive (opens The Siasat Daily in a new tab)
The Siasat Daily — is The Siasat Daily biased? Our profile of this outlet
- 'I don't think he's dead,' Trump says of Iranian leader amid speculation (opens USA Today in a new tab)
- Donald Trump Says He Doesn't Think the Iranian Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, Is Dead (opens Le Monde in a new tab)
Centre
21- Iran’s disfigured supreme leader remains invisible six months into an existential war (opens The Japan Times in a new tab)
The Japan Times — is The Japan Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Iran’s disfigured supreme leader remains invisible six months into an existential war (opens WTVB in a new tab)
- Disappeared Since February: Iran's Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei Rules as a Phantom – and that's up to the Regime (opens tz.de in a new tab)
- Trump Pushes Back on Speculation That Iran’s New Supreme Leader Is Dead (opens Real News No Bullshit in a new tab)
Real News No Bullshit — is Real News No Bullshit biased? Our profile of this outlet
- "Everything Hurts: Trump Reveals What He Really Knows About the State of Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei (opens mannheim24.de in a new tab)
mannheim24.de — is mannheim24.de biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- "Everything Hurts: Trump Reveals What He Really Knows About the State of Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei (opens hna.de in a new tab)
hna.de — is hna.de biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Trump says Mojtaba Khamenei still alive but 'very seriously wounded' (opens Euronews in a new tab)
- Trump says Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is alive but ‘very seriously wounded’ (opens Live Mint in a new tab)
Show 13 more
- Trump says he believes Iranian leader still alive (opens NZ Herald in a new tab)
- Trump says he does not believe Iran's Supreme Leader is dead (opens Attack of the Fanboy in a new tab)
Attack of the Fanboy — is Attack of the Fanboy biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Questions Reports of Mojtaba Khamenei’s Death in Iran (opens Internewscast in a new tab)
Internewscast — is Internewscast biased? Our profile of this outlet
- "I Don't Think He's Dead. Trump Says Iranian Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Is Still Alive (opens Digi 24 in a new tab)
- Trump Claims Mojtaba Khamenei Is Alive, but Seriously Wounded (opens El Periódico in a new tab)
El Periódico — is El Periódico biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump says Mojtaba Khamenei is alive. Either way, his ghost rules Iran (opens Newsweek in a new tab)
Newsweek — is Newsweek biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Trump Claims that Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei Is Alive, but Is Still Seriously Injured (opens El Confidencial in a new tab)
El Confidencial — is El Confidencial biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump: If Ayatollah is dead, Iran ‘putting on a good show’ (opens The Hill in a new tab)
- US President Believes Iran's Supreme Leader Is Still Alive (opens Lietuvos Radijas ir Televizija in a new tab)
- Mideast live: Trump says he believes Iran's leader is still alive ... (opens France24 in a new tab)
- Trump believes Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei is still alive: 'Seriously wounded, but not dead' (opens Hindustan Times in a new tab)
Hindustan Times — is Hindustan Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump says Iran's leader is wounded, not dead (opens Jerusalem Post in a new tab)
Jerusalem Post — is Jerusalem Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Doubts Iran’s Supreme Leader Is Dead (opens Political Wire in a new tab)
Political Wire — is Political Wire biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
26- Iran’s disfigured supreme leader remains invisible six months into an existential war (opens Cyprus Mail in a new tab)
Cyprus Mail — is Cyprus Mail biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Iran’s disfigured supreme leader remains invisible six months into an existential war (opens The Straits Times in a new tab)
The Straits Times — is The Straits Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- 'I don't think he's dead...was very seriously wounded': Trump on Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei (opens Times of India in a new tab)
Times of India — is Times of India biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump believes Iran’s supreme leader ‘very seriously wounded’ but likely still alive (opens Malay Mail in a new tab)
Malay Mail — is Malay Mail biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump says Mojtaba Khamenei isn't dead, but 'very seriously wounded' as Iran war drags on (opens India TV News in a new tab)
India TV News — is India TV News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Says He Doesn't Think Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei Is Dead (opens NDTV in a new tab)
- I dont think hes dead...was very seriously wounded: Trump on Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei - The Tribune (opens Tribune India in a new tab)
Tribune India — is Tribune India biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump says Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is not dead (opens Firstpost News in a new tab)
Firstpost News — is Firstpost News biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 18 more
- Trump: I Believe Khamenei Is Still Alive. (opens Al Bawaba in a new tab)
Al Bawaba — is Al Bawaba biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Mojitaba Khamenei Critically Injured, But Not Dead, Says Trump (opens tippinsights in a new tab)
tippinsights — is tippinsights biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump - 'Mojtaba Khamenei is still alive' (opens WIN in a new tab)
- Trump doubts Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is dead: ‘If he is, they’re putting on a pretty good show’ (opens New York Post in a new tab)
New York Post — is New York Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Claims that Khamenei Is Alive but Seriously Wounded (opens Libertad Digital in a new tab)
Libertad Digital — is Libertad Digital biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump: Iran's Supreme Leader 'Seriously Wounded' but Alive (opens Newsmax in a new tab)
- Trump Claims that Khamenei Is Still Alive but Is "Severely Wounded" (opens ABC in a new tab)
- Trump Provided Information About the State of Mojtaba Khamenei. What Does the US President Know About Iran's Supreme Guide (opens REALITATEA.NET in a new tab)
REALITATEA.NET — is REALITATEA.NET biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Says Mojtaba Khamenei ‘Very Seriously Wounded’, ‘Not Dead’ (opens ABP News in a new tab)
- JUST IN: Trump Responds To Rumors Of Mojtaba Khamenei's Death (opens TrendingPolitics in a new tab)
TrendingPolitics — is TrendingPolitics biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Weighs In on Khamenei's Health Rumors (opens News Addicts in a new tab)
News Addicts — is News Addicts biased? Our profile of this outlet
- War in the Middle East: For Trump Iran’s Supreme Leader Is Alive · Global Voices (opens Clarin in a new tab)
- Trump: 'Mojtaba Khamenei very seriously wounded, but not dead' (opens Arutz Sheva in a new tab)
Arutz Sheva — is Arutz Sheva biased? Our profile of this outlet
- ‘I Don’t Think He’s Dead,’ Says Donald Trump About Iranian Leader Mojtaba Khamenei (opens El Universo in a new tab)
El Universo — is El Universo biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump says Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei alive but 'very seriously' wounded (opens Anadolu Ajansı in a new tab)
Anadolu Ajansı — is Anadolu Ajansı biased? Our profile of this outlet
- United States: Donald Trump Doesn't Think Iran's Supreme Leader Is Dead (opens Le Figaro in a new tab)
- Trump believes Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei is still alive (opens Al Arabiya in a new tab)
Al Arabiya — is Al Arabiya biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Donald Trump says Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei 'seriously wounded' on body, arm and leg (opens Daily Express in a new tab)
Daily Express — is Daily Express biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
38- "Everything Hurts: Trump Reveals What He Really Knows About the State of Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei (opens op-online.de in a new tab)
op-online.de — is op-online.de biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Mojtaba Khamenei Is Dead? In Tehran There Are Speculations About the Fate of Ayatollah. Donald Trump's Reaction (opens antena3.ro in a new tab)
antena3.ro — is antena3.ro biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Doubts that Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, Is Dead (opens Vanguardia in a new tab)
Vanguardia — is Vanguardia biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Donald Trump | He Is Alive but Seriously Injured: Donald Trump (opens namasthe telangana in a new tab)
namasthe telangana — is namasthe telangana biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump's Indecisiveness: He Once Said 90% Sure Khamenei Was Dead, Now He's Sure He's Alive (opens SINDOnews.com in a new tab)
SINDOnews.com — is SINDOnews.com biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- MOJTABA KHAMENEI ALIVE BUT ‘VERY SERIOUSLY’ WOUNDED, SAYS TRUMP (opens independentpress.cc in a new tab)
independentpress.cc — is independentpress.cc biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump says Iran conflict could end soon, claims Khamenei sustained severe injuries (opens madhyamamonline.com in a new tab)
madhyamamonline.com — is madhyamamonline.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump says Iran war may end ‘fairly soon’, believes Mojtaba Khamenei alive but ‘seriously wounded’ (opens Social News XYZ in a new tab)
Social News XYZ — is Social News XYZ biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 30 more
- Is Iran's Supreme Leader Dead? What Does Trump Think? (opens 大纪元 Epoch Times in a new tab)
大纪元 Epoch Times — is 大纪元 Epoch Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Mojtaba Jameneí Is Not Dead: Trump (opens Contigo Puebla in a new tab)
Contigo Puebla — is Contigo Puebla biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Doesn't Believe Mojtaba Khamenei Is Dead – Why His Disappearance Is a 'Blessing for the Regime' in Iran (opens Naftemporiki in a new tab)
Naftemporiki — is Naftemporiki biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Trump: ‘Mojtaba Khamenei Very Seriously Wounded, But Not Dead’ (opens matzav.com in a new tab)
matzav.com — is matzav.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump reveals new details: “Mujataba is not dead, but very badly injured” (opens observatorial.com in a new tab)
observatorial.com — is observatorial.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump: Mojtaba Khamenei Alive But Seriously Wounded (opens viva.co.id in a new tab)
viva.co.id — is viva.co.id biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump: I Don't Think Khamenei Is Dead, and We Destroyed the Iranian Navy (opens Jordan News in a new tab)
Jordan News — is Jordan News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Believes Iranian Leader Khamenei Is Still Alive (opens lrytas.lt in a new tab)
- Donald Trump Believes Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei Is Alive (opens Aktuality.sk in a new tab)
Aktuality.sk — is Aktuality.sk biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Revealed Mojtaba's Condition, Emphasizing: "We Will Achieve Victory in Iran Soon" (opens Unknown in a new tab)
Unknown
- Trump Claims that Khamenei Is Alive, but Remains Seriously Injured (opens diarioestrategia.cl in a new tab)
diarioestrategia.cl — is diarioestrategia.cl biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Breaking: Trump announces fresh development over Iran's supreme leader, "The left side of his body" (opens Legit.ng in a new tab)
- Iran Putting Up A 'Pretty Good Show' If Mojtaba Khamenei Is Dead, Trump Says (opens NDTV Profit in a new tab)
NDTV Profit — is NDTV Profit biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Says He Believes Iranian Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Is Still Alive (opens El Comercio in a new tab)
El Comercio — is El Comercio biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Do You Know What the Current Situation Is with Iranian Leader Mujtaba Khamenei? Shocked by What Trump Said! (opens Goodreturns in a new tab)
Goodreturns — is Goodreturns biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Claims Mojtaba Khamenei Is Alive, but Seriously Wounded (opens lacronicabadajoz.com in a new tab)
lacronicabadajoz.com — is lacronicabadajoz.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Claims Mojtaba Khamenei Is Alive, but Seriously Wounded (opens laprovincia.es in a new tab)
laprovincia.es — is laprovincia.es biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Claims Mojtaba Khamenei Is Alive, but Seriously Wounded (opens informacion.es in a new tab)
informacion.es — is informacion.es biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Believes that Mojtaba Khamenei Is Alive. He Was Very Seriously Injured, He Says (opens Hospodárske Noviny in a new tab)
Hospodárske Noviny — is Hospodárske Noviny biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Says He Thinks the Iranian Supreme Leader Is Still Alive. (opens Unknown in a new tab)
Unknown
- ‘I don't think he's dead... He was very seriously wounded’: Trump on Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei (opens Mathrubhumi in a new tab)
Mathrubhumi — is Mathrubhumi biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Donald Trump Said Iran's Supreme Leader Is Injured, Not Dead. (opens rador.ro in a new tab)
- US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Trump Says He Doesn’t ‘Think’ Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei Is Dead, Calls Iranian Leader ‘Very Seriously Wounded’ (opens The Sunday Guardian Live in a new tab)
The Sunday Guardian Live — is The Sunday Guardian Live biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Surprises Khamenei: "I Don't Think He's Dead" (opens negocios.com in a new tab)
negocios.com — is negocios.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump: – I Don't Think Khamenei Is Dead (opens Nettavisen in a new tab)
Nettavisen — is Nettavisen biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Was Asked if He Thought Khamenei Jr. Was Dead - This Is What He Answered (opens kikar.co.il in a new tab)
kikar.co.il — is kikar.co.il biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Reveals New Details About Mojtaba: 'Not Sure He's Dead' (opens Unknown in a new tab)
Unknown
- Trump Says Iran's Leader Is Wounded, Not Dead (opens CNN Brasil in a new tab)
CNN Brasil — is CNN Brasil biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Is Iran's New Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Already Dead? (opens Wort.lu in a new tab)
- Trump Doesn't Think Iranian Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Is Dead (opens El Economista in a new tab)
El Economista — is El Economista biased? Our profile of this outlet
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