A lawyer for Sean “Diddy” Combs confirmed the recently convicted rapper has been in touch with the White House about a potential pardon.
But Combs’ appeal for clemency could go nowhere after President Trump, who once called the music mogul a “good friend,” complained about the “terrible” things Combs has said about him.
Combs was convicted on two charges of interstate prostitution last month. While he was acquitted of the most serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in jail when he is sentenced in October.
This week, he lost a bid to be released from jail prior to his sentencing.
On Tuesday, one of Combs’ lawyers, Nicole Westmoreland, told CNN his team had been in touch with the Trump administration.
“It’s my understanding that we’ve reached out and had conversations in reference to a pardon,” Westmoreland said.
She added that Combs “is a very hopeful person, and I believe that he remains hopeful.”
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for a comment on the potential pardon.
However, the president’s well-known petty streak may see the rapper miss out on a get-out-of-jail card.
Speaking to Newsmax last week, Trump was asked about a list of people he could possibly pardon. He said he thought Combs was “essentially half-innocent—still in jail or something?”
Trump then explained his beef with the artist sometimes known as Diddy: “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. But when I ran for office, he was very hostile.”
The president went on: “It’s hard, we’re human beings, we don’t like to have things cloud our judgment. But when you knew someone and you were fine and then you run for office and he made some terrible statements, I don’t know. It makes it more difficult to do, I’m being honest.”
When asked directly if it was more likely to be a “no” for a pardon for Combs, Trump admitted: “I would say so.”
Last week, conservative talking head Megyn Kelly strongly “urged” Donald Trump not to pardon the rapper, stating, “I got to believe Trump’s smarter than this.”
“I am here to urge him not to even consider it, much less to do it,” Kelly said on her YouTube show.
Kelly also delved into the bad blood between the pair. “Just to put it in terms Trump can understand—he can’t stand you, Mr. President. He was once nice to you. He’s turned on you, and he doesn’t deserve a favor from you, who he worked actively to stop in 2020.” She said Combs “doesn’t deserve any of Trump’s mercy.”
Trump has pardoned several celebrities and reality TV stars already this year.
Todd and Julie Chrisley, stars of the reality TV show Chrisley Knows Best, were both released from prison where they were serving time for tax evasion. Trump said the couple had been “prosecuted because they were celebrities.”
Trump has previously pardoned rappers, however, including Lil Wayne, NBA YoungBoy, and Kodak Black, who had all been convicted for various gun-related offenses.
