Donald Trump has publicly stated that he will not pardon Sean “Diddy” Combs after receiving a handwritten plea from the music mogul seeking clemency, according to his comments in a recent interview with The New York Times and confirmed in multiple reports. Trump acknowledged that Combs had sent him a letter asking for a pardon following the rapper’s conviction on federal prostitution-related charges last year, but he made clear that he isn’t inclined to grant clemency.

Trump said in the interview that his relationship with Combs, which once included social interactions before Trump entered politics, deteriorated after Combs was publicly critical of him. The president cited that past hostility has made him unlikely to intervene on Combs’ behalf, signaling that the personal history between them played a role in his decision not to offer a pardon.

Combs, a prominent figure in hip-hop and founder of Bad Boy Records, was convicted in July 2025 of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution in a high-profile federal trial in New York, though he was acquitted of the more serious racketeering and sex-trafficking charges. He is serving a sentence of about four years in prison. Prior to the president’s comments, Combs’ legal team had sought clemency and there were public discussions about whether Trump would consider a pardon or commuter, but the latest statements make clear that a pardon is not forthcoming.

The topic has drawn public attention not only because of Combs’ status and the severity of the charges but also due to the unusual circumstance of a former president being directly asked for leniency in such a high-profile case. Trump also indicated he would not be issuing pardons to a number of other high-profile individuals alongside Combs, underscoring a broader stance on clemency decisions.