President Donald Trump has dropped a bombshell by floating the idea of pardoning music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, despite a rocky history between the two.
In a candid Newsmax interview aired on Aug. 1, 2025, Trump discussed the potential pardon following Combs' recent acquittal on major charges in a federal sex-crimes trial, while also touching on other controversial figures like Ghislaine Maxwell and former Rep. George Santos, USA Today reported.
Let’s rewind to May 30, 2025, when Trump first hinted at this possibility from the Oval Office, noting that while no one had directly asked for a pardon, "people are thinking about it."
The saga kicked off with a high-profile trial that gripped headlines for nearly two months, culminating on July 2, 2025, with jurors finding Combs not guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking charges involving ex-girlfriends Casandra "Cassie" Ventura Fine and another woman identified as "Jane."
Prosecutors painted a grim picture, alleging Combs coerced these women into drug-laced sex parties dubbed "freak-offs" that stretched on for days, though the jury didn’t buy the heaviest accusations.
Still, Combs wasn’t entirely off the hook—he was convicted on two lesser counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, a verdict that keeps his legal troubles simmering.
Fast forward to July 30, 2025, when conservative commentator Megyn Kelly took to X, urging Trump to steer clear of a pardon, branding Combs a "Trump hater" and a "woman abuser" whose clemency would rile up the MAGA base.
Well, Kelly’s not wrong to point out the optics—pardoning someone who’s publicly bashed you isn’t exactly a crowd-pleaser in conservative circles.
The very next day, on July 31, 2025, Combs’ legal team pushed for an acquittal or a new trial in court filings, a move that shows this drama is far from over, as confirmed by documents reviewed by USA TODAY.
In the Newsmax sit-down with host Rob Finnerty, Trump seemed torn, admitting, "Well he was ... half-innocent," before musing that Combs’ victory in court wasn’t quite the triumph he celebrated.
"You know, I was very friendly with him, I got along with him great," Trump recalled, only to pivot to the sting of betrayal when Combs turned hostile during his run for office, making pardon considerations "more difficult to do."
Finnerty pressed the point, asking if it’s "more likely a no," to which Trump curtly agreed with a simple, "I'd say so," signaling that old grudges die hard in politics.
Trump’s waffling on this pardon isn’t just about Combs’ legal woes; it’s a window into how personal history can tangle with presidential power, especially when the court of public opinion is watching closely.
While Combs’ representatives were contacted by USA TODAY for comment, the silence so far leaves us wondering if there’s any behind-the-scenes lobbying for clemency, especially since Trump noted that "some people have been very close to asking."
As this legal and political chess game plays out, one thing is clear: a pardon for Combs would be a lightning rod for debate, pitting Trump’s past rapport with the mogul against a conservative base wary of elite favoritism—and that’s a tightrope even a seasoned dealmaker might hesitate to cross.
