"Will Look At Facts.": Trump On Whether He Will Pardon Sean 'Diddy' Combs
US President Donald Trump on Friday floated the possibility of pardoning Sean 'Diddy' Combs, stating that he "would certainly look at the facts".
At a White House news conference, Trump said that nobody has asked him to pardon the hip-hop mogul. In a 2012 episode of the reality show Celebrity Apprentice, Donald Trump had said that he was friends with Sean 'Diddy' Combs.
"I think some people have been very close to asking. First of all, I'd look at what's happening, and I haven't been watching it too closely, although it's certainly getting a lot of coverage,' Mr Trump was quoted as saying by Reuters.
His statement came during the Oval Office press conference with the Elon Musk, who recently exited as the chief of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Mr Trump also highlighted that he has not seen Combs and spoken to him in years. "He used to really like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics... that relationship busted up, from what I read. I don't know -- he didn't tell me that, but I'd read some little bit nasty statements," he added.
Donald Trump added that he "would certainly look at the facts" in the much-talked-about case. "If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don't like me, it wouldn't have any impact on me," he said.
Meanwhile, Combs has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, as well as transportation to engage in prostitution.
Combs was taken into custody in September last year and has since been held without bail on multiple federal charges.
Donald Trump, who took office in January this year, has extensively used his power to pardon or commute sentences in cases where people have been accused or convicted of federal crimes. This is unusual compared to his predecessor, who usually waited until near the end of their terms to grant clemency.
Combs, who faces life in prison if found guilty on all counts, is famous for elevating the hip-hop culture in America.
Dozens of lawsuits filed against him have accused him of sexual abuse. Federal prosecutors said that he coerced women to take part in drug-fueled sexual performances, dubbed "Freak Offs", over two decades. At least two women have testified that they were raped by him.
Although Combs' lawyers have acknowledged him being abusive at times in romantic relationships, they argue that these women took part in the "Freak Offs" consensually.
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