White House Denies Rumors Of An Imminent Pardon For Diddy

The White House has denied rumors first circulated by the entertainment outlet TMZ that President Trump was considering a presidential pardon for rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was sentenced to over four years in prison earlier this month.

Speculation began on Monday when TMZ reported that a “high-ranking White House official” confirmed that Trump was considering commuting the 50-month sentence and “could set Diddy free as early as this week.”

“There is zero truth to the TMZ report, which we would’ve gladly explained had they reached out before running their fake news,” a White House official confirmed to multiple outlets on Tuesday. “The president, not anonymous sources, is the final decider on pardons and commutations.”

Despite the denial directly from the White House, a spokesperson from TMZ doubled down on the claims. “We stand by our story,” TMZ spokesperson Casey Carver told NBC News in response.

Combs was found guilty of two prostitution charges in July and was facing up to 20 years in prison following a high-profile trial in New York. He was acquitted of the more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.

Prosecutors wanted to see the rapper behind bars for at least 11 years, but Combs’ lawyers petitioned for him to be released later this month. Prosecutors called Diddy “unrepentant.”

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“The defendant tries to recast decades of abuse as simply the function of mutually toxic relationships,” prosecutors wrote in a September filing. “But there is nothing mutual about a relationship where one person holds all the power and the other ends up bloodied and bruised.”

The federal investigation into Combs gained national attention earlier this year when raids on his Los Angeles and Miami properties yielded large amounts of electronic devices, reportedly containing potential evidence connected to the charges. Prosecutors alleged that Combs orchestrated a network of parties and events where women were trafficked and abused. Meanwhile, the rapper claimed that his sexual exploits were unorthodox but fully consensual.

Many critics were furious that Combs was acquitted of the more serious charges.

Trump commented on a potential pardon for Combs in May during an Oval Office press conference.

“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,” the president said in response to Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy.

Trump said at the time that he hadn’t been following the case closely, but was aware of the extensive media coverage the trial was receiving.

“I haven’t seen [Diddy], I haven’t spoken to him in years,” Trump said. “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 emphasized that any pardon decision would be based solely on the merits of the case.

“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,” he stated.