• President Trump hesitates on pardoning Diddy due to the rapper’s past harsh criticism, despite acknowledging his partial acquittal in court.
• In July, the court convicted Diddy of transporting individuals for prostitution but cleared him of the more serious trafficking and conspiracy charges.
• Their former friendship soured in 2020. At that time, Diddy publicly called for Trump’s removal and labeled him a threat to Black Americans.

They once rubbed elbows at star-studded parties and publicly praised each other. But these days, Donald Trump and Sean “Diddy” Combs find themselves on very different paths. The president now says Diddy’s harsh words from years ago could stand in the way of a presidential pardon.

In a candid interview aired Friday night on Newsmax, Trump weighed in on Combs’s recent conviction. He addressed growing speculation that he might consider a pardon for the hip-hop mogul. While Trump didn’t rule it out completely, he made one thing clear: it won’t be easy.

“He was sort of half-innocent,” Trump said with a shrug. “He got off on the big stuff but got hit with something else. So I guess he’s celebrating a little, but it wasn’t exactly a clean win.”

Here’s a rewritten version without passive voice and with improved flow and varied structure:

Once one of the most powerful figures in music, Diddy faced conviction on July 2 after a federal jury found him guilty of transporting individuals across state lines for prostitution. The charges carry a potential sentence of up to 10 years per count. Although the court cleared him of more serious accusations, including sex trafficking and racketeering, the guilty verdict still cast a long shadow over his reputation.

Combs remains in New York City’s last operating federal detention center as he awaits his sentencing set for October 3. Meanwhile, his legal team is fighting for his release, requesting a massive $50 million bond ahead of the hearing.

Once Friends, Now Strangers

Trump and Combs go back years. They were seen at the same exclusive events and exchanged friendly public remarks. They even shared the stage during their respective media empires’ heydays. But that all changed in the political chaos of 2020.

When Trump ran for re-election, Combs emerged as one of his loudest celebrity critics. He told Charlamagne tha God during an explosive radio interview that Trump represented “white male privilege” gone unchecked. Said men like Trump “need to be banished.” He added that the top priority for Black Americans should be removing Trump from office.

Those words, now years old, clearly haven’t been forgotten.

“When I ran for office, he was very hostile,” Trump told Newsmax host Rob Finnerty. “It’s tough. We’re human, right? We try not to let it affect us, but it does. When someone you were cool with suddenly turns and says awful things about you… well, that sticks with you.”

Trump’s tone was measured but unmistakably cold. For a man known to reward loyalty and punish betrayal, Combs’s past outbursts may be the final nail in the coffin for a possible pardon.

A Pattern of Presidential Pardons

Trump has never been shy about granting controversial pardons. From political allies to personal friends, he’s used the presidential power like few others before him. This has often been in ways that drew widespread scrutiny.

Some saw those pardons as justice for those wrongfully targeted. Others called it a blatant undermining of the legal system. But in each case, the recipients had one thing in common: they supported Trump.

That makes Diddy’s situation all the more precarious. His conviction falls in a gray zone — not entirely damning but certainly not clean. And unlike others who found themselves in Trump’s good graces, Combs publicly torched the bridge between them.

Public opinion has been split. Some argue that Diddy’s crimes don’t rise to the level of someone like Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell. Others say flying sex workers across state lines, often under the guise of glitzy parties and private jets, reflects exploitation. They argue it shouldn’t be excused, especially not by a president.

Still, the idea of Trump pardoning Diddy isn’t entirely out of the question. Trump hinted he might consider it — but only if personal history didn’t get in the way.

“It just makes it harder,” he said. “You don’t want to be seen as acting out of spite, but you also don’t want to reward people who tried to tear you down.”

Diddy’s Legal Battles Far From Over

While Diddy’s legal team continues to fight for his release and eventual leniency, the fallout from his conviction has only just begun.

Music insiders say the damage to his brand is already deep. Endorsements have dried up. Major record labels have quietly pulled back. Even some of his closest industry allies have remained silent in the wake of his arrest and conviction.

And while the most damning charges — including trafficking and conspiracy — didn’t stick, the public narrative is far from favorable. The image of Combs chartering jets for private sexual encounters involving hired partners and girlfriends has stained his reputation beyond repair.

Worse yet, leaked court transcripts revealed disturbing accounts from witnesses. Some of them painted Combs as a manipulative figure who used fame and money to maintain control over vulnerable individuals.

It’s a far cry from the image Diddy once projected — a self-made entrepreneur, music trailblazer, and Black cultural icon.

Shadows of Epstein Still Haunt

Combs’s case has also revived uncomfortable memories from the Epstein saga. This was another scandal that intersected with Trump’s orbit. Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 under suspicious circumstances. His associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, is now serving a 20-year sentence for her role in recruiting underage girls for sexual abuse.

Trump has faced questions over whether he might extend his pardon powers to Maxwell. This was especially after he publicly mused in 2020 that he wished her well. When asked again recently, he didn’t give a straight answer.

“I could pardon her,” he told Newsmax. “But now’s not the time to talk about it.”