Donald Trump has indicated that he considers Sean 'Diddy' Combs 'sort of half-innocent' following his recent conviction, but suggested that pardoning the music mogul is complicated by past criticism. In an interview with Newsmax on Friday, the former president reflected on Combs' guilty verdict for transportation to engage in prostitution, while noting the artist's hostile remarks towards him during his first term.
Combs was found guilty on 2 July on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, each carrying up to 10 years in prison. However, he was acquitted of more serious charges including sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. Trump remarked that Combs was 'celebrating a victory, but I guess it wasn't as good of a victory.'
The relationship between the two has soured since Combs, who is Black, made critical comments about Trump. In 2017, Combs told the Daily Beast he did not 'really give a fuck about Trump', and in 2020 he told radio host Charlamagne tha God that 'white men like Trump need to be banished' and that removing Trump from office was the 'number one priority'. Trump alluded to these remarks, stating, 'When I ran for office, he was very hostile. It’s hard, you know?'
Combs is scheduled to be sentenced on 3 October and has requested release on a $50m bond pending that hearing. He is currently held at New York City's only federal lockup, following the closure of another facility after the death of Jeffrey Epstein in 2019.
Trump also addressed speculation about a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving 20 years for conspiring with Epstein. He stated he is 'allowed to give her a pardon' but declined to discuss it further, calling such talk 'inappropriate' at this time.
