Donald Trump has disclosed that Sean “Diddy” Combs personally requested a presidential pardon but said he has no intention of granting it. The revelation emerged in an exclusive New York Times report published on January 8, which stated that the rapper contacted Trump through a letter while serving his federal prison sentence. Trump confirmed the request, telling reporters that Combs had directly asked him for a pardon, though he declined to share the letter and joked about whether the media wanted to see it.
Sean “Diddy” Combs was convicted in July on two federal charges related to transportation to engage in prostitution following a high-profile trial in New York City. He was sentenced to 50 months in prison in October and, after receiving credit for time already served, is expected to remain incarcerated until May 25, 2028, according to Federal Bureau of Prisons records.
Speculation about a possible pardon for Combs has surfaced before. In May 2025, Trump was asked during a press briefing whether he would consider granting clemency. At the time, Trump said he had not spoken to Combs for years and would only consider the facts of the case, adding that personal relationships would not influence his decision if he believed someone had been treated unfairly.
Trump previously described Combs as a friend in 2012 but later said their relationship deteriorated after he launched his presidential campaign in 2016, noting that Combs “used to really like me a lot” before their ties fell apart.
