White House denies reports Trump may commute Diddy’s prison sentence: 'Completely fraudulent’
WASHINGTON, DC: The White House has strongly denied a report claiming that President Donald Trump is considering commuting the prison sentence of rapper and music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, calling the story “completely fraudulent.”
The denial came after TMZ cited an anonymous “White House insider” who alleged Trump was “vacillating” on whether to follow his recent commutation of former Congressman George Santos with a similar act of clemency for Combs.
White House denies reports of clemency talks for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
A White House spokesperson told the Daily Mail that the TMZ report was “entirely false,” adding that the publication had not reached out for comment prior to publication.
“There is zero truth to the TMZ report, which we would’ve gladly explained had they reached out before running their fake news,” the spokesperson said. “The president, not anonymous sources, is the final decider on pardons and commutations.”
According to the TMZ report, Trump’s staff had allegedly advised against commuting Combs’ sentence, but the unnamed insider claimed “Trump will do what he wants.” The story quickly gained traction online before the White House issued its forceful rebuttal.
Combs, 55, has a legal team that has already filed a notice of appeal in federal court, arguing that the charges he was convicted of are based on outdated provisions of the Mann Act and “do not apply to his conduct.” As of the afternoon of Monday, October 20, Combs remained in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, awaiting transfer to a federal prison.
Trump once called Diddy ‘half innocent’ amid speculation over possible pardon
Speculation about possible clemency for Combs may have been fueled by Trump’s own previous remarks. In interviews earlier this year, the president said he would “probably not pardon” the rapper but noted that Combs’ acquittal on major charges made him “essentially, sort of, half innocent.”
“Well, he was essentially, sort of, half innocent. I don’t know what they do that he’s still in jail or something. He was celebrating a victory but I guess it wasn’t as good a victory,” Trump said.
Trump, who described himself as having been “very friendly” with Combs during their years as fellow New York celebrities, acknowledged that their relationship soured after he entered politics. Combs endorsed Joe Biden in 2020 and warned that a second Trump term could lead to a “race war.”
Sean 'Diddy' Combs’ appeal faces uphill battle
Combs’ appeal will be heard by a three-judge panel from the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Legal analysts note that such challenges are rarely successful unless procedural or constitutional errors are found.
In the meantime, federal prison consultant Sam Mangel told the Daily Mail that due to the ongoing government shutdown, Combs’ transfer from Brooklyn to a low-security facility such as FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey could be delayed.
The White House, however, made clear that despite public speculation, the president has no plans to intervene.
