President Donald Trump was asked whether he’d consider pardoning Sean “Diddy” Combs and said he hasn’t ruled it out.
Trump, 78, was asked about the idea during an Oval Office press conference on Friday, May 30. “Well, nobody’s asked,” the president said in response to a question from Fox News’ Peter Doocy. “I know people are thinking about it.”
Diddy, 55, is currently on trial in New York City on federal charges of sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution and racketeering conspiracy. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and denied all of the allegations against him.
“First of all, I’d look at what’s happening,” Trump continued on Friday. “I haven’t been watching it too closely, although it’s certainly getting a lot of coverage.”
Trump and Diddy were once friendly, though the president said on Friday that he hasn’t spoken to the rapper in years. “He used to really like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics … that relationship busted up, from what I read,” Trump added. “I don’t know — he didn’t tell me that, but I’d read some little bit nasty statements in the paper all of a sudden.”
The president went on to claim that his personal relationship with Diddy wouldn’t have any bearing on whether he decided to pardon him.
“I would certainly look at the facts,” he said. “If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me, it wouldn’t have any impact on me.”
Diddy’s trial began at NYC’s Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse on May 5 and is expected to continue through early July. While Trump could theoretically pardon him after the jury reaches its verdict, it’s also within his power to preemptively pardon him. Earlier this year, for example, former President Joe Biden preemptively pardoned members of his family as well as former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci to prevent “politically motivated prosecutions.”
The question about Trump pardoning Diddy comes days after the president made headlines for pardoning reality star Todd Chrisley and his wife, Julie Chrisley. The Chrisley Knows Best couple were indicted on fraud charges in 2019. While they each maintained their innocence, Todd and Julie were found guilty in 2022. Todd was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while his wife was set to serve seven years. Their sentences were reduced by nearly two years in 2024.
Amid their daughter Savannah Chrisley’s fight for their release, Trump signed a formal pardon earlier this week.
“It’s a terrible thing, but it’s a great thing, because your parents are going to be free and clean,” Trump, 78, said in a Tuesday, May 27, phone call to Savannah, 27. “I hope we can do it by tomorrow. I don’t know them, but give them my regards. Wish them a good life.”
Savannah picked Todd, 56, up from his Florida prison on Wednesday, May 28, while her brother Grayson, 19, picked their mother up in Kentucky that same day. Savannah shared a photo of the family reunion one day later.
