Sean “Diddy” Combs’ hopes for a lifeline from former President Donald Trump appear to be dead on arrival. Despite weeks of speculation about whether Trump might intervene in the hip-hop mogul’s legal troubles, the former president made it clear in a recent Newsmax interview that his past friendship with Combs won’t outweigh the bad blood from political attacks made years ago.
Combs, convicted on two federal counts of transportation for prostitution, faces up to 20 years in prison and remains locked up at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. His sentencing is scheduled for October 3, 2025.
In the interview with Newsmax’s Rob Finnerty, Trump was asked directly if he would consider a pardon for Combs:
“Sean Diddy Combs. Right. Would you consider pardoning him? Well, he was essentially, I guess, sort of half innocent. I don’t know what they do. He’s still in jail or something, but he was celebrating a victory. But he seems… I guess it wasn’t as good as a victory, probably. You know, I was very friendly with him. I got along with him great and seemed like a nice guy. I didn’t know him well, but when I ran for office, he was very hostile. He said some not so nice things about you, sir. And it’s hard, you know, I’m like you — we’re human beings, right? And we don’t like to have things cloud our judgment. But when you knew someone and you were fine, and then you run for office and he made some terrible statements… So, I don’t know. It’s more difficult. It makes it more… I’m being honest, it makes it more difficult to do, but more likely a no for Combs.”
The history between the two men is complicated. In the late ’90s and early 2000s, Trump and Diddy were often photographed together at high-profile events, and Trump even supported Diddy’s “Vote or Die” campaign in 2004. But once Trump entered politics, Diddy became one of his sharpest celebrity critics, going so far as to call him a dangerous man who needed to be removed from office — even saying, “White men like Trump need to be banished.” Those remarks, now resurfacing online, are reportedly a sticking point.
Adding to the drama are conflicting stories from Diddy’s camp. Attorney Nicole Westmoreland has said there were “discussions in reference to a pardon” with people in Trump’s circle, possibly initiated by members of Diddy’s personal network. But lead attorney Marc Agnifilo flatly denies making any approach, telling CBS, “I have had conversations with nobody… I have not spoken to the president… I have not.” He acknowledged that Combs, aware of the media chatter, jokingly said, “Tell him I need a pardon.”
While celebrity legal favors are nothing new, this case shows how personal politics and past words can carry just as much weight as legal strategy. In Trump’s America, the courtroom isn’t the only place you’re judged — the court of personal loyalty matters too.
For now, the verdict is clear: No pardon from Trump for Diddy.
