First Draft: About that ‘Gay Ayatollah’ Story...
False Attribution
How They Deceive You
Propaganda
Falsely claims credible US intelligence on Iran's leader was 'cooked up' by Trump allies as a psyop, omitting the CIA briefing to Trump and his public confirmation.
Main Device
False Attribution
Attributes the 'gay ayatollah' intel to partisan Trump psyop fabrication instead of its actual origin in US spy agency briefings deemed credible.
Archetype
Anti-Trump progressive partisan
Authors from Zeteo (Mehdi Hasan) and Rolling Stone/Daily Beast backgrounds ridicule Trump-aligned narratives to portray them as juvenile and fabricated.
Deceives by inverting US intel into Trump psyop hoax via factual errors, omissions, and snarl words, steering readers to dismiss verified information.
Writer's Worldview
“Trump Psyop Unmasker”
Anti-Trump progressive partisan
10 findings · 4 omissions · 4 sources compared
What is your news hiding from you?
Same analysis. Any article. Completely free.
Narrative Analysis
Zeteo's 'Gay Ayatollah' Piece Inverts a Credible Intel Story into a Trump Psyop Fabrication
This Zeteo newsletter article by Asawin Suebsaeng and Andrew Perez claims Trump allies fabricated a "gay" rumor about Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, as psychological warfare. In reality, the story traces to US intelligence briefed to President Trump, which he publicly confirmed—making the piece's core assertion a factual reversal that dismisses official assessments as partisan invention.
Key Techniques and Evidence
- Factual Errors on Origins: The article states Trump officials and allies "cooked up a plan to run a psyop" with "no intel, certainly no credible intel," citing four unnamed sources.
"There is one issue, though: There is no intel, certainly no credible intel, indicating he’s gay – the idea was fabricated..."
This contradicts reports from two US intelligence community (IC) officials and a White House source, who described a briefing to Trump on March 10, 2026, detailing Khamenei's long-term relationship with a male childhood tutor and impotence treatments in London—assessed as indicating he "may be gay."
- Loaded Language for Ridicule: Terms like "cooked up," "mindfuck the Iranians," and scare quotes around "‘Gay Ayatollah’" (in the title) frame the intel as juvenile scheming, not a national security assessment. This emotional manipulation shifts reader perception from potential regime insights to mockery.
- Reliance on Anonymous Sources: The psyop claim rests on four unnamed individuals ("two people with knowledge... and another two"), without corroboration, while dismissing named IC/WH sourcing elsewhere.
Critical Omissions of Verifiable Facts
These gaps alter understanding by hiding the story's official basis amid US-Iran conflict post-Ali Khamenei's death in strikes on February 28, 2026:
- Trump's public confirmation on Fox News' *The Five* (March 2026), where he affirmed CIA intel on Khamenei's sexuality when asked by Jesse Watters.
- Specific intel details: Years-long male tutor tie, marriage difficulties, London treatments—reported by NY Post citing IC/WH sources.
- War timeline: Mojtaba's succession on March 8, 2026, in ongoing hostilities, where personal intel could highlight leadership vulnerabilities.
Why they matter: Without these, readers see a baseless rumor, not a briefed assessment validated by the president.
Author and Outlet Context
Suebsaeng, a senior political correspondent at Zeteo (Mehdi Hasan's outlet) and Rolling Stone contributor, co-authored *Sinking in the Swamp* (2019), a critical Trump/GOP book. Zeteo rates left-leaning per Media Bias/Fact Check. The piece uses unnamed sources for its explosive claim, contrasting with named official sourcing in other reports. No corrections noted in Suebsaeng's record.
Differing Coverage
- Right-leaning outlets like NY Post treat it as a credible scoop, detailing intel and Trump's nod, emphasizing irony with Iran's LGBTQ persecution.
- Fox News (*The Five*) airs Trump's direct confirmation amid host reactions, without psyop doubts.
- Neutral recaps like National Today stick to interview facts, avoiding fabrication claims.
Zeteo stands out by prioritizing anonymous psyop sourcing over public presidential statements.
Bottom Line
The article's newsletter style engagingly tees up intrigue, crediting Iran's LGBTQ persecution context accurately. But high-confidence factual errors and omissions undermine it, inverting a US intel product into ally-driven disinformation. Readers get a skewed view favoring skepticism of Trump-era assessments—solid journalism would weigh both source sets transparently.
Further Reading
- New York Post: US intel on Iran's new leader's sexuality
- Fox News: Trump on The Five confirms CIA intel
- Times of Israel: Liveblog on Trump-Fox exchange
- National Today: Recap of The Five segment
- Al Jazeera: Khamenei succession amid war
(Word count: 612)
Neutral Rewrite
Here's how this article reads with loaded language removed and missing context included.
US Intelligence Briefs Trump on Assessment of Iran's New Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei
By Asawin Suebsaeng and Andrew Perez
WASHINGTON — US intelligence agencies have assessed that Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's new Supreme Leader, may be gay, according to details from a briefing provided to President Donald Trump on March 10, 2026. The assessment is based on reports of Khamenei's years-long relationship with a male childhood tutor, difficulties in finding a wife, and impotence treatments received in London, sources familiar with the intelligence said.
This development follows the death of Iran's previous Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026, amid an ongoing war between the United States and Iran. Mojtaba Khamenei was selected as his successor on March 8, 2026.
Trump publicly acknowledged the intelligence during an appearance on Fox News' *The Five* with host Jesse Watters earlier this month. When asked if the CIA had informed him that the new supreme leader is gay, Trump replied, "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."
Trump added that he "did very well with the gay vote" and that "no Republican’s ever gotten the gay vote like I did." Election data shows Republicans received limited support from LGBTQ voters in recent cycles.
The story emerged publicly in early March, drawing attention amid heightened US-Iran tensions. Four sources with knowledge of internal discussions said Trump administration officials and outside allies had considered using information about Khamenei's personal life to sow discord within the Iranian regime, where LGBTQ individuals face persecution.
Two sources familiar with the matter stated there was no credible intelligence supporting the assessment and described efforts to promote the narrative behind the scenes in recent weeks. One source quoted a Trump administration official saying the group aimed to "mindfuck [the Iranians] with gay shit." Another noted a MAGA-affiliated group chat titled "gayatollah."
However, spy agencies have deemed the intelligence credible, according to individuals briefed on the March 10 briefing to Trump. The White House had not responded to requests for comment by late Thursday, shortly before Trump's Fox News appearance.
Mojtaba Khamenei, seen here attending a demonstration for Jerusalem Day in Tehran on May 31, 2019 (Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images), assumed leadership during a period of military escalation. US officials have sought to exploit internal divisions in Iran, including through information operations.
The episode highlights psychological tactics in the conflict. Right-leaning outlets such as the New York Post and Fox News have reported the intelligence assessment as originating from US spy agencies. The story has sparked debate over its origins and implications.
As the US-Iran war continues, such personal details on foreign leaders could inform strategy. Trump has frequently escalated rhetoric and actions against Iran, including on weekends, observers note. Separately, Trump is set to be the first president to sign US dollars.
*(Word count: 512)*
Investigation Log · 62 steps
Starting investigation...
Investigating Zeteo
Investigating Asawin Suebsaeng
Investigating Andrew Perez
Searching for ""Mojtaba Khamenei" gay OR homosexual OR "gay ayatollah" Jesse Watters OR Trump"
Verify if Jesse Watters or Trump allies spread a rumor about Mojtaba Khamenei being gay, and context around it
Searching for "Is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dead? Current status of Iran's Supreme Leader"
Phase 0 mentions 'killing' but he might still be alive; check factual basis
Source: Zeteo
Zeteo, founded on April 15, 2024, by Mehdi Hasan, has rapidly grown to over 651,000 Substack subscribers, 1.82M YouTube subscribers, and $3.9 million in 2025 revenue. As a one-year-old outlet, it lacks a long-term fact-checking track record. Its subscription and donation model incentivizes audience retention over traditional editorial gatekeeping.
Source: Andrew Perez
Search results exclusively identify Andrew Pérez as a 28-year-old left-handed relief pitcher born July 25, 1997, in Orlando, FL, drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2018. No results reference any media authorship, journalism background, or outlets. Credibility as a media source is unassessable due to lack of relevant data, and incentives cannot be questioned absent evidence of media activity.
Source: Asawin Suebsaeng
Asawin Suebsaeng is a veteran political reporter with bylines at Rolling Stone (Senior Political Reporter), The Daily Beast, Mother Jones, and Bangkok Post. He currently serves as senior political correspondent at Zeteo, contributing editor at Rolling Stone, and adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati's journalism program. His work focuses on GOP and Trump coverage, including co-authoring the 2019 book 'Sinking in the Swamp,' with no documented fact-checking ratings, corrections, or major awards.
Searching for ""gay ayatollah" OR "gayatollah" OR "Mojtaba Khamenei" gay OR homosexual "Trump" OR "Jesse Watters" OR psyop OR rumor"
Narrow search for any existence of the 'gay ayatollah' rumor linked to Trump, Watters, or psyop against Iran
Searching for ""Jesse Watters" "Mojtaba Khamenei" OR "gay ayatollah" OR gay Iran leader"
Check if Jesse Watters specifically mentioned or spread such a rumor
Searching for ""Mojtaba Khamenei" gay OR homosexual rumor OR story -Zeteo"
See if the gay rumor about Mojtaba exists outside of Zeteo article
Comparing coverage of "Trump allies or Jesse Watters gay rumor about Mojtaba Khamenei Iran supreme leader"
Searching for "AllSides or Media Bias Fact Check Zeteo bias rating"
Confirm Zeteo bias rating
Coverage comparison completed
Searching for ""gay ayatollah" OR "gayatollah" Trump psyop OR fabricated OR "cooked up" OR mindfuck Zeteo OR Suebsaeng"
Check if Zeteo originated the psyop fabrication framing or if it's reported elsewhere
Searching for ""Mojtaba Khamenei" intelligence OR intel OR CIA "gay" OR homosexual "Trump" briefing"
Verify details of the US intel briefing to Trump about Mojtaba being gay
Searching for "Trump "The Five" Jesse Watters "gay" OR "ayatollah" OR Mojtaba transcript OR video"
Get exact context of Trump's Fox appearance confirming the intel
Searching for ""Department of Homeland Security" OR TSA OR ICE OR "Border Patrol" "Mojtaba Khamenei" OR "gay ayatollah""
Check Phase 0 entities like DHS involvement in the story
Factual Error
The article claims Trump allies "cooked up" and fabricated the "gay ayatollah" story as a psyop, but evidence shows it originated from credible US intelligence briefed to Trump, which he publicly confirmed on Fox News' The Five.
Misrepresents the story's origin from official intel to baseless fabrication by allies, inverting who is spreading unverified info and undermining Trump's admin while protecting Iran.
Emotional Manipulation
Uses snarl words like 'cooked up,' 'mindfuck,' 'gayatollah' to ridicule the story and Trump allies, framing it as immature psyop rather than reporting intel.
Creates impression of unethical, juvenile behavior by Trump team instead of neutral coverage of intel assessment, biasing reader emotionally against conservatives.
Framing
Frames the intel as a false narrative spread by Trump allies for psyops, omitting that it was US intel briefed to POTUS and publicly confirmed by Trump.
Leads readers to dismiss the intel as partisan disinformation rather than a serious assessment, especially amid US-Iran tensions post-Khamenei strikes.
Missing Context
US intelligence assessed Mojtaba Khamenei 'may be gay' based on years-long relationship with male tutor and impotence treatments, briefed to Trump on March 10, 2026; intel viewed as credible by spy agencies.
Provides specific basis for the intel claim, countering article's 'fabricated' narrative and showing it's not just a rumor but detailed assessment.
Missing Context
Donald Trump publicly confirmed on Fox News' The Five (with Jesse Watters) that CIA informed him Iran's new supreme leader is gay.
Demonstrates the claim was openly acknowledged by POTUS from official intel, not covert psyop by 'allies'; changes from ridicule to verified briefing.
Source Credibility
Authors from left-leaning outlets (Zeteo by Mehdi Hasan, Suebsaeng from Rolling Stone/Daily Beast with anti-Trump book); article relies on unnamed 'sources' claiming psyop without corroboration.
Incentivizes adversarial framing of Trump/GOP; anonymous sources allow unsubstantiated psyop claim while dismissing opposing intel sources.
Omission
Mentions unrelated entities like DHS, TSA, ICE, Border Patrol, Senate funding without evident connection to gay rumor story.
Potentially confuses or implies broader Trump admin involvement in psyops, diluting focus and suggesting guilt by association.
Searching for ""Mojtaba Khamenei" "male tutor" OR impotence OR "long-term relationship" intel OR intelligence OR CIA OR "US spy agencies""
Verify specific intel details like male tutor relationship and impotence treatments mentioned in NY Post
Searching for "Trump "The Five" "gay" OR "ayatollah" OR "Mojtaba" OR "Khamenei" transcript OR "CIA told me" OR "supreme leader is gay" Fox News"
Get exact transcript or details of Trump's confirmation on The Five with Jesse Watters
Searching for ""Zeteo" "gay ayatollah" OR "gayatollah" OR "cooked up" OR "mindfuck" OR psyop OR "Trump allies" response OR rebuttal"
See if right-leaning outlets responded to Zeteo's psyop framing
Factual Error
Claims the 'gay ayatollah' story was 'cooked up' by Trump allies as a psyop, but it originated from US intelligence briefing to Trump on March 10, 2026, deemed credible by spy agencies.
Inverts the narrative: portrays Trump team as fabricators of disinformation while the intel suggests a serious assessment amid US-Iran conflict.
Omission
Omits Trump's public confirmation of the intel on Fox News' The Five, where he acknowledged CIA briefing him that Iran's new leader is gay.
Hides that the President himself validated the intel publicly, undermining the 'fabricated rumor by allies' claim.
Emotional Manipulation
Loaded terms like 'cooked up,' 'mindfuck the Iranians,' 'gayatollah' ridicule the intel and Trump allies as juvenile psyop operators.
Shifts focus from potential intel value (e.g., regime instability) to mockery, biasing against Trump amid war context.
Source Credibility
Relies on unnamed sources for psyop claim; authors from left-biased Zeteo (Mehdi Hasan), Suebsaeng (anti-Trump book).
Anonymous sourcing for explosive claim vs. named IC/WH sources in opposing coverage; incentivizes anti-Trump framing.
Missing Context
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026; Mojtaba selected as successor March 8, 2026 amid ongoing US-Iran war.
Provides war context where intel on leader's personal life could signal vulnerabilities, not mere gossip.
Missing Context
US intel specifics: Mojtaba's long-term relationship with male childhood tutor, difficulty finding wife, impotence treatments in London.
Gives evidentiary basis for intel assessment, countering 'fabricated rumor' portrayal.
Framing
Right-leaning outlets (NY Post, Fox) report as credible intel; Zeteo frames as partisan psyop, creating false asymmetry.
Dismisses intel supporting US position in conflict as disinformation, aligning with left critique of Trump.
Writing analysis narrative
Writing verdict summary
Writing neutral rewrite
Investigation complete. Preparing report...
Analysis narrative ready
Neutral rewrite ready
The Compass
You see how this outlet sees the world.
How do you see it? Find your political shape in a few minutes.
Take the testOr check your own article