Trump mocks Iran's new leader, shrugs off threat to oil supply

Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News on Mar 13, 2026

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President Donald Trump mocked Iran’s new leader on Friday as “damaged” and shrugged off the historic threat to the world’s oil supply as the Middle East war shows few signs of winding down.

With the conflict set to enter a third week, Trump dismissed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei as only “alive in some form” after the newly appointed leader issued a defiant statement on Iran state media that failed to show his face or air his voice.

Israeli and U.S. intelligence believes Khamenei was wounded in strikes on the first day of the war that killed his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and other relatives. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Friday said he could be “disfigured.”

“I think he probably is (alive),” Trump told Fox News in a rambling radio interview. “I think he’s damaged, but I think he’s probably alive in some form.”

Trump repeated his rosy assessment of the conflict that has already sparked massive global economic dislocation and offered no specific answer about when he might end the war.

“When I feel it in my bones,” Trump told host Brian Kilmeade, adding that safeguarding Iran’s enriched uranium supply that could allow it to restart a nuclear program is not a priority.

The president showed little concern about the Iranian effort to block shipping through the Straits of Hormuz, saying oil tankers should “show some guts” and brave the threat of Iranian attacks.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” Trump added.

Hegseth, who trashed the Iran’s leaders as “cowardly” and “rats,” also brushed off the danger to shipping through the waterway: “Don’t need to worry about it.”

The remarks came as six American service members died when their Air Force plane involved in the war effort crashed in neighboring Iraq, raising the total U.S. fatalities to 12.

Despite the rising death toll, Trump refused to criticize Russian president Vladimir Putin over U.S. intelligence reports that Russia is sharing tips with Iran on using drones to attack American targets in the war.

“Hey, they do it and we do it, in all fairness,” Trump said.

The White House also temporarily lifted sanctions against Russian oil, a move that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent admitted would give the Kremlin an economic boost in its war against Ukraine.

More than 1,000 Iranian and Lebanese civilians have been killed by U.S. and Israeli strikes while much smaller numbers of people have been killed by Iranian drone and missile attacks on its Gulf neighbors and Israel.

The world economy has been shaken by the conflict, particularly the energy market. With about 20% of the world’s oil supply cut off due to the effective closure of the Straits of Hormuz, crude prices have soared and have taken massive swings on a daily basis.

Gas prices for American consumers at the pump have jumped by about 67 cents a gallon, or more than 20%, since Trump unleashed the attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.