WASHINGTON — President Trump shockingly said Friday that he would be open to pardoning Sean “Diddy” Combs — currently on trial in Manhattan for alleged sex trafficking and other crimes.
“Nobody’s asked. But I know people are thinking about it. I know they’re thinking about it. I think some people have been very close to asking,” Trump, 78, said during an Oval Office press conference with Elon Musk.
Combs, 55, was arrested in September and has been held without bail on federal charges.
“First of all, I’d look at what’s happening, and I haven’t been watching it too closely, although it’s certainly getting a lot of coverage,” Trump said.
“I haven’t seen him, I haven’t spoken to him in years. 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.”
Trump concluded: “I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me, it wouldn’t have any impact on me.”
The president has pardoned or commuted the prison sentences of an unusually large number of people since reclaiming power in January — after claiming he was mistreated by the legal system over the past four years.
