President Donald Trump has ruled out pardoning Sean "Diddy" Combs, revealing that the incarcerated hip-hop mogul sent him a personal letter requesting clemency for his prostitution-related convictions.
In a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times published on January 8, 2026, the president said Combs "asked me for a pardon... through a letter," but he is not considering the request. When pressed about the letter, Trump teased reporters by asking, "Oh, would you like to see that letter?" but did not produce it. The White House, when asked for a copy or details, referred inquiries back to Trump's comments.
Trump also indicated he has no plans to pardon other high-profile figures facing federal charges, including cryptocurrency fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried, former New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, and deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, who is charged with narco-terrorism.
Trump did not specify his reasons for rejecting Combs' request in the interview, though he has previously wavered on the topic. Combs, 56, is serving a 50-month sentence after being convicted in 2025 on two counts of transportation for prostitution (under the Mann Act), while being acquitted of more serious racketeering and sex-trafficking charges.
Their relationship soured after Combs publicly criticized Trump during his political career, despite earlier social ties in New York celebrity circles.
In May 2025—before Combs' conviction—Trump had suggested he might consider a pardon if he believed someone was "mistreated," noting that the Bad Boy Records founder "used to really like me a lot" before Trump entered politics.