U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed that hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs reached out to him seeking a presidential pardon in connection with his ongoing federal criminal case.
Speaking with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Monday, Trump revealed that “a lot of people have asked me for pardons,” specifically naming Combs among them. The confirmation comes just days after the Grammy-winning artist was sentenced to more than four years in prison for two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
In August, Nicole Westmoreland, a member of Combs’ legal team, told CNN that discussions had taken place between the rapper’s representatives and the Trump administration regarding a potential pardon. “It’s my understanding that we’ve reached out and had conversations in reference to a pardon,” Westmoreland said at the time.
When pressed further, Trump admitted that such a request “makes pardoning Combs more difficult to do,” hinting at the controversy surrounding the case. The White House, when contacted by CNN back in August, declined to comment on whether a clemency request had been formally filed.
Combs’ lawyers have since petitioned Judge Arun Subramanian, who handed down the sentence last Friday, to recommend that the disgraced music executive be placed at the low-security federal correctional facility in Fort Dix, New Jersey. The defense argued that this location would help Combs “address drug abuse issues” and “maximize family visitation and rehabilitative efforts.”
The sentencing marks a significant downfall for Combs, whose decades-long career as a rapper, producer, and entrepreneur once made him one of the most influential figures in the entertainment industry. His conviction for transporting individuals across state lines for sexual encounters has irreparably damaged his public image and shattered his reputation as an affable celebrity and A-list party host.
As Trump contemplates potential clemency decisions, Diddy’s legal and personal future remains uncertain.
