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Sean “Diddy” Combs reached out to Donald Trump about a pardon, the president said in a recent interview. 

Donald Trumps says Diddy has requested a pardon 

Trump spoke with The New York Times on January 7. During the conversation, he revealed that Diddy, 56, had “asked me for a pardon,” adding that the request came “through a letter.”

The Times asked about when the letter was sent, to which Trump replied, “Oh, would you like to see that letter?”

The president did not actually show The Times the alleged letter, and The White House did not share a copy of the letter and its contents when asked. Trump said that he did not intend to pardon Diddy. 

Combs is currently serving 50 months behind bars in a federal prison in New Jersey. The hip-hop mogul was convicted on two prostitution-related charges in July 2025 but acquitted of several more serious crimes, including sex trafficking and racketeering. He is appealing his conviction.

Combs’ legal team did not respond to the Times’ request for comment about the pardon request letter. 

Bad Boy Records founder made ‘nasty statements,’ Trump said in 2025

Trump previously addressed a potential pardon for the Bad Boy Records co-founder in a May 2025 press briefing.

“I know they’re thinking about it,” Trump said (via ABC News). “I think people have been very close to asking.”

But Trump went on to suggest that he’d be less likely to consider a pardon for Diddy because of “nasty statements” the hip-hop mogul had made. 

“He used to really like me a lot. I think when I ran for politics, that relationship sort of busted up,” the president said. 

“I don’t know. I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated whether they like me or don’t, it wouldn’t have any impact,” he added. 

Diddy spoke critically of Trump ahead of the 2020 presidential election. 

“Seeing what’s going on, white men like Trump need to be banished,” he told Charlamagne Tha God during an appearance on Revolt TV. “That way of thinking, it’s real dangerous. This man literally threatened the lives of us and our families about going to vote. ‘Stand back and stand by.’”

“We’re in a war of love versus hate,” he added. “The number one priority is to get Trump out of office.”

In his second term in office, Trump has granted pardons to a number of high-profile individuals, including former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, ex-MLB player Darryl Strawberry, rapper NBA YoungBoy (whose real name is Kentrell Gaulden), and Chrisley Knows Best stars Todd and Julie Chrisley.

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