Diaphragm muscle weakness in chronic heart failure (CHF) is caused by elevated oxidants and exacerbates breathing abnormalities, exercise intolerance, and dyspnea. However, the specific source of oxidants that cause diaphragm weakness is unknown. We examined whether mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) cause diaphragm weakness in CHF by testing the hypothesis that CHF animals treated with a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant have normal diaphragm function. Rats underwent CHF or sham surgery. Eight weeks after surgeries, we administered a mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant (MitoTEMPO; 1 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1)) or sterile saline (Vehicle). Left ventricular dysfunction (echocardiography) pre- and posttreatment and morphological abnormalities were consistent with the presence of CHF. CHF elicited a threefold (P < 0.05) increase in diaphragm mitochondrial H2O2 emission, decreased diaphragm glutathione content by 23%, and also depressed twitch and maximal tetanic force by ∼20% in Vehicle-treated animals compared with Sham (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). Diaphragm mitochondrial H2O2 emission, glutathione content, and twitch and maximal tetanic force were normal in CHF animals receiving MitoTEMPO. Neither CHF nor MitoTEMPO altered the diaphragm protein levels of antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutases (CuZn-SOD or MnSOD), glutathione peroxidase, and catalase. In both Vehicle and MitoTEMPO groups, CHF elicited a ∼30% increase in cytochrome c oxidase activity, whereas there were no changes in citrate synthase activity. Our data suggest that elevated mitochondrial H2O2 emission causes diaphragm weakness in CHF. Moreover, changes in protein levels of antioxidant enzymes or mitochondrial content do not seem to mediate the increase in mitochondria H2O2 emission in CHF and protective effects of MitoTEMPO.