Donald Trump Shuts Down Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Pardon Hopes Amid Prostitution Conviction

Sean "Diddy" Combs' hopes for a quick prison release just hit a wall. President Donald Trump confirmed he won't consider a pardon for the music mogul, who received a four-year federal sentence for two prostitution-related charges in October 2025.

In an interview with The New York Times on Thursday, January, Trump revealed that Combs "asked me for a pardon" through a letter. However, he made it clear that he has no plans to grant clemency.

Combs, 56, was found guilty of two counts related to transportation for prostitution during a high-profile trial last July 2025. Although this partial conviction meant a lighter sentence, legal experts saw it as a narrow escape, as he was acquitted of charges that could have led to a life sentence for s-- trafficking and racketeering.

Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York accused Combs of orchestrating a criminal enterprise that "abused, threatened, and coerced women" to satisfy his sexual desires.

The prosecution's key witness, Casandra "Cassie" Ventura, Combs' ex-girlfriend, testified emotionally about enduring "freak-offs," which she described as voyeuristic drug-fueled s-- parties involving male escorts. Ventura stated these experiences caused her immense humiliation. Combs' legal team maintained that all sexual activities were consensual, and he did not take the stand during the trial.

Combs, dubbed Puff Daddy and P. Diddy throughout his career, has been a prominent figure in hip-hop since founding Bad Boy Records in 1993. His public image has faced intense scrutiny in recent years, with a wave of civil lawsuits alleging sexual abuse. He has consistently denied these claims.

Federal agents raided Combs' properties in Los Angeles and Miami in March 2024, leading to his arrest in Manhattan six months later following a grand jury indictment.

During the same interview, Trump stated he would also not consider pardons for other controversial figures like Nicolás Maduro, the former Venezuelan leader facing narcotics charges; Robert Menendez, the former senator convicted of bribery and obstruction; or Sam Bankman-Fried, the cryptocurrency mogul convicted of multiple fraud counts in 2023.

Trump has a history of granting clemency to celebrities, having previously pardoned Todd and Julie Chrisley, Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, but it appears Combs won't be joining that list anytime soon.