Since his conviction for federal charges, Sean “Diddy” Combs has been desperately reaching out to his old buddy for a pardon.
President Donald Trump and the now-disgraced music exec were both famous New Yorkers back in the 1990s and have been photographed together over a dozen times since then.
56-year-old Combs is currently serving a 50-month prison sentence in New Jersey at the Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix, and Trump has finally revealed whether he will pardon his old friend.
Trump told The New York Times that Diddy sought him out following his conviction, saying the Bad Boy Records founder “asked me for a pardon…through a letter.”
When asked to produce the letter during his two-hour interview published on Jan. 8, the president revealed that he denied Diddy’s pardon request.
He also joked about showing the outlet Diddy’s letter. “Oh, would you like to see that letter?” Though he never produced said letter.
It looks like Trump has completely changed his mind months after he first revealed that Diddy reached out to him during a press conference in the Oval Office last October.
“A lot of people have asked me for pardons,” he said at the time. “I call him Puff Daddy, [he] has asked me for a pardon.”
Diddy writes letter appealing to Trump for a pardon, but Trump isn’t entertaining it. pic.twitter.com/Roci0s1UAR
— Episodes (@episodesent) January 8, 2026
Back in August, Trump hinted that he wasn’t going to pardon Diddy due to his criticism once Trump entered politics. The “Act Bad” artist claimed in a 2020 interview with his former company REVOLT that America was on the “verge of a race war” that would only get worse if Trump were reelected.
“White men like Trump need to be banished,” said Diddy. “That way of thinking is real dangerous. This man literally threatened the lives of us and our families about going to vote.”
The founder of the Vote or Die campaign went further, arguing Trump had only succeeded in “rattling America” and insisting the “number one” priority was removing him from office and stopping Trump from geting on the voting ballot again.
Around the same time, Diddy’s was also promoting the launch of Our Black Party, a political effort aimed at centering the needs of the African American community.
Those remarks appeared to echo during Trump’s recent interview, where he revisited his once-friendly relationship with the musician and hinted at how sharply it soured after politics entered the picture.
Speaking to Newsmax in August 2025, he framed the fallout as personal as much as political. “I was very friendly. I got along with him great,” said “The Apprentice” boss about Diddy. “Seemed like a nice guy. I didn’t know him well. But when I ran for office, he was very hostile.”
Trump continued, “We don’t like to have things cloud our judgment, right? But 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. Makes it more, I’m being honest, makes it more difficult to do.”
President Trump reacts to media chatter of potential clemency or presidential pardons for figures like Ghislaine Maxwell, Sean "Diddy" Combs, and former Rep. George Santos. @RobFinnertyUSA pic.twitter.com/Hzd2ZaF2SA
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) August 2, 2025
Trump struck a similar note earlier in May, suggesting any consideration of clemency would hinge on the facts, while again pointing to how the relationship appeared to “bust up” once politics got involved.
“I would certainly look at the facts if I think somebody was mistreated,” the president told Page Six. “Whether they like me or don’t like me. It wouldn’t have any impact on me. He used to really like me a lot, but 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, but I’d read some little bit nasty statements in the paper all of a sudden.”
The comments left an impression on fans revisiting Trump’s personal history with old alliances and old grudges, noting how vengeful he can be.
“Lmao Trump petty,” wrote one user. “He said I didn’t forget what you said. Stay in jail.”
Another user echoed the sentiment, “He just like me once you speak on me, make sure you never ask me for nun again.” Others suggested Diddy was now paying the price for past criticism, with remarks along the lines of “he forgot what he said about that man” and predictions that Trump expects people to “pick a side and stay there.”
A few took a more sarcastic approach, joking about what Diddy might have said privately that sealed his fate, while others leaned into curiosity about the exact words that allegedly crossed the line. “Diddy letter: I got these cheese burgers mannnn. Please mannnn.”
Still, a more provocative thread ran through the responses as well, with some urging Diddy to stop holding back and speak openly about Trump, arguing, “Diddy you have nothing more to lose expose him!” hinting that there may be more to their fractured history than has been publicly shared.
Another said, “Welp Diddy.. it’s your turn to start talking …. I know you got some dirt on Trump.”
On Diddy’s charges, Trump also told Newsmax, “Well, he was essentially, I guess sort of, half-innocent. I don’t know what they do, he’s still in jail or something. He was celebrating a victory, but I guess it wasn’t as good of a victory.”
The rapper’s team has not yet responded to Trump’s claim of a pardon denial, and the White House referred to Trump’s remarks for comment.
