50 Cent Says He'll Lobby Trump Against Diddy Pardon

Rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson has publicly stated his intention to contact President Donald Trump to discourage him from granting a presidential pardon to Sean "Diddy" Combs, who is currently on trial in New York City for federal charges including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. 

Combs has pleaded not guilty and denied all allegations. The trial, which began on May 5, 2025, at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse, could result in a sentence of 15 years to life if Combs is convicted.

On May 30, 2025, during a White House press conference, Trump was asked by Fox News reporter Peter Doocy about the possibility of pardoning Combs. Trump responded that "nobody’s asked" directly but noted that "people are thinking about it" and some were "very close to asking." 

He said he would "look at the facts" and consider a pardon if he believed Combs was "mistreated," emphasizing that personal feelings would not influence his decision. Trump also mentioned a past friendship with Combs, which soured after his entry into politics, citing "nasty statements" Combs allegedly made about him.

In response, 50 Cent, a longtime rival of Combs, took to Instagram, to express his opposition. He wrote, "He said some really bad things about Trump, it’s not ok. I’m gonna reach out so he knows how I feel about this guy," suggesting that Combs’ past criticisms of Trump should disqualify him from a pardon. 

In a follow-up post on May 31, 2025, 50 Cent clarified his stance, stating, "Donald doesn’t take well to disrespect, and doesn’t forget who chooses to go against him. While working tirelessly to make America great again there is no room for distraction. He would consider pardoning anyone who was being mistreated not Puffy Daddy." 

He also corrected media reports that misquoted him as planning to "nuke" Combs’ pardon chances, clarifying that he only intended to share his perspective with Trump.