Donald Trump addresses potential Sean Diddy Combs pardon

Donald Trump, who once called Sean “Diddy” Combs a “good friend,” weighed in on whether he would pardon the embattled record producer should he be convicted in his ongoing sex trafficking and racketeering trial.

“Well, nobody’s asked, but I know people are thinking about,” the president told an inquiring reporter at the White House on Friday. “I know some people are close to asking. First of all, I’d look at what’s happening. And I haven’t been watching it too closely, although it’s certainly getting a lot of coverage.”

Trump said he hasn’t “seen” or “spoken” to Diddy in years,” adding, “He used to really like me a lot. I think when I ran for politics, that relationship busted up, from what I read. I don’t know. He didn’t tell me that [personally], but….”

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

Trump previously praised Diddy as a “good friend” and “good guy” on a 2012 episode of The Celebrity Apprentice, after season 5 contestant Aubrey O’Day, a former member of the girl group Danity Kane, said working under the record producer trained her to be a “very strict, focused businesswoman.”

When Trump asked O’Day if Diddy was, in fact, a good guy, she notably remarked, “I don’t want to answer that question.”

More than 70 lawsuits have been filed against the Bad Boy Records mogul since November 2023, alleging sexual assault and sex trafficking. His highly publicized federal trial, based on charges that also include racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution, began in New York on May 12. Combs, who has denied all of the allegations against him, has pleaded not guilty. He could face life in prison if convicted.

Trump has pardoned a number of celebrities since taking office, including rappers Kodak Black and Lil Wayne, both of whom were convicted on federal weapon charges. The president also recently pardoned incarcerated reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion in 2022.