Trump Says No Pardon for Diddy, Citing Post-2016 Comments

President Trump has publicly stated that he will not pardon Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, following the music executive’s conviction on federal charges.

Trump revealed that Diddy’s critical comments about him after the 2016 election played a significant role in his decision. Previously, Trump was rumored to be considering a pardon for the music mogul. In a recent interview with Newsmax, Trump was very direct about the reason he won’t dish out a pardon.

“[Diddy] said some very negative things about me after 2016—really nasty things. Many people don’t realize, but I try to remember those who were truly unfair. It makes it much more difficult to consider anything like a pardon. I have to be honest,” Trump said.

Earlier in 2025, Trump hinted that he would be open to reviewing Diddy’s legal situation. “He used to like me. We had a good relationship until I got into politics,” Trump said at the time. When questioned about whether or not he would offer a pardon, Trump said: “I would certainly look at the facts. But when someone is that unfair, you remember it. It’s human nature.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces two federal counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was acquitted of more serious racketeering and sex trafficking allegations, but he remains in jail awaiting his sentencing hearing. Prosecutors allege Combs arranged for two women—including Cassie Ventura—to travel for the purposes of prostitution, acts that were secretly filmed. The maximum penalty is 10 years for each count, for a potential of 20 years behind bars.

Legal analysts believe a lighter sentence is possible under federal guidelines, but prosecutors are fighting for a stiffer punishment. They allege that Diddy was the ‘ringleader’ of a long-running illegal operation. Judge Subramanian denied Diddy’s plea for $50 million bail secured by his Miami mansion, siding with arguments that the entrepreneur presents a flight risk ahead of his October 3, 2025 sentencing date.