White House officials claim that the president is not considering a pardon for embattled and currently incarcerated music mogul Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, despite reports that note that the famed producer’s prison sentence could be commuted as soon as this week.
TMZ initially reported on Monday that the president was “vacillating” on pardoning the most famous adlibber in Hip-Hop history.
“There is zero truth to the TMZ report, which we would’ve gladly explained had they reached out before running their fake news,” the official told NBC News in a statement. “The President, not anonymous sources, is the final decider on pardons and commutations.”
But TMZ is doubling down on their original reporting, noting, “We stand by our story.”
Lawyers for Combs didn’t return NBC News’ request for comment but they have told the news station in the past that they are pursuing a pardon.
In July, Combs was convicted on two counts of “transportation to engage in prostitution, but was acquitted on more damning charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. On Oct. 3, a federal judge sentenced him to 50 months in prison, fined him $500,000 and ordered five years of supervised release,” NBC News reports.
Combs maintains his innocence.
Trump was asked about possibly pardoning Combs in an interview with Newsmax.
“You know, I was very friendly with him. I got along with him great and he seemed like a nice guy. I didn’t know him well,” Trump said. “But when I ran for office, he was very hostile.”
When asked if he was suggesting that he consider pardoning Combs, Trump said, “I would say so.”
“When you knew someone and you were fine, and then you run for office, and he made some terrible statements. So, I don’t know, it’s more difficult,” Trump said. “Makes it more — I’m being honest, it makes it more difficult to do.”
Trump has a history of pardoning supporters during his second term in office. Since taking over the White House in January, he’s already pardoned or commuted sentences for several people involved in the violent January 6 insurrection. In May, he pardoned Todd and Julie Chrisley, the reality television couple sentenced to 12 and seven years for crimes including bank fraud, conspiracy, and tax evasion.
And just last week, Trump commuted the sentence of former New York congressman George Santos pleaded guilty to charges of committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Combs has requested to serve his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix, a low-security federal prison in New Jersey, but the Bureau of Prisons has yet to approve the request.
