President Donald Trump said on Friday that he would consider the facts before deciding whether to issue a pardon for Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is currently on trial in Manhattan for sex trafficking and racketeering.
Speaking during a press conference at the Oval Office, Trump stated, “I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me, it wouldn’t have any impact on me.” The remarks came in response to a question from Fox News reporter Peter Doocy.
Trump acknowledged he hadn’t been approached directly about a pardon request but suggested that conversations may be happening behind the scenes. “I think some people have been very close to asking,” he said, adding that he hasn’t followed the trial closely and hasn’t spoken to Combs in years.
The former president reflected on his past relationship with Combs, noting they were once friendly and that he had even referenced the hip-hop mogul on his show The Apprentice. But that relationship, Trump said, “busted up” once he entered politics.
Combs is facing allegations that he used his record label and industry influence to orchestrate and coerce women into drug-fueled, days-long sex events, referred to in court as “freak offs.” Witnesses, including his ex-girlfriend Cassie have testified that Combs personally beat and sexually assaulted victims. He has pleaded not guilty, and his legal team maintains that his actions do not meet the legal threshold for sex trafficking.
The trial is being held in the same Manhattan federal courtroom where Trump himself was found liable in a civil sexual abuse case.
While Combs’ legal future remains uncertain, Trump’s comments suggest a possible opening for intervention—pending a formal request and his own review of the evidence. He recently pardoned rapper NBA Youngboy and former gangster Larry Hoover.
