US President Donald Trump is reportedly “seriously considering” weighing a full presidential pardon to music mogul convicted of prostitution-related offences, Sean “Diddy” Combs, ahead of his sentencing later this year, according to a report from Deadline.
The development comes after Combs was found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution following a lengthy federal trial in New York City.
Several reports claimed that Trump’s circle say conversations about the pardon, once casual, have now evolved into active deliberations within the president’s team. While no final decision has been made, the pardon is now “an actionable event,” an administration insider told Deadline.
WHITE HOUSE DISCUSSIONS HEAT UP
Nearly two months after Trump first floated the idea of pardoning Combs, speculation has grown as multiple individuals connected to the rapper have reportedly made appeals to Trump’s team. “I would certainly look at the facts if I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me,” Trump said in May.
However, officials remain cautious about making any commitments. “The White House will not comment on the existence or nonexistence of any clemency request,” one administration official said.
Combs, once friendly with Trump but later a vocal critic during the 2020 presidential race, is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn. His sentencing is scheduled for October 3.
COMBS’ LEGAL BATTLE CONTINUES
The 55-year-old Bad Boy Records founder has been behind bars since his arrest in September 2024. Since then, his legal team, led by attorneys Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos, has repeatedly sought release on a $50 million bond — attempts that have been consistently denied by the court.
Despite avoiding more severe charges such as sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, Combs was found guilty of transporting individuals for prostitution. He faces up to three years in federal prison, though any sentence is expected to factor in time already served. An appeal is likely to follow immediately after sentencing, according to sources familiar with the defence strategy.
His attorneys have refrained from making any public remarks regarding the pardon negotiations. They haven’t done much to lobby the White House for clemency, Deadline claims.
The increasing rumours of a possible Combs pardon come as Trump’s MAGA base is putting more and more pressure on him to release government documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted sex offender who was once close to Trump.
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