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50 Cent warns Trump against pardoning Diddy amid federal sex trafficking trial
Rapper 50 Cent has spoken out against any potential pardon of Sean 'Diddy' Combs by President Donald Trump, vowing to personally make the president 'aware' of his objections.
The comments come after Trump said he would consider clemency for Diddy, who is currently on trial for multiple federal charges including sex trafficking, racketeering, and coercion. 'Nobody's asked, but I know people are thinking about it,' Trump said when asked about a pardon. He noted he hadn't followed the trial closely and hadn't spoken to Combs 'in years.'
In response, 50 Cent — real name Curtis Jackson — posted a video clip of Trump's remarks to Instagram, writing: 'He said some really bad things about Trump. It's not ok. I'm gonna reach out so he knows how I feel about this guy.' On Saturday, the rapper doubled down, stating, 'Donald doesn't take well to disrespect… while working tirelessly to make America great again, there is no room for distraction.'
50 Cent and Diddy's strained relationship dates back to 2006, when Jackson accused Combs of knowing who killed Biggie Smalls. More recently, Diddy's name came up during trial testimony from Capricorn Clark, a former employee who claimed to overhear a discussion involving firearms between Diddy and 50 Cent's manager Chris Lighty.
Diddy, arrested in September 2024, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Federal authorities allege he used threats, manipulation, and violence over two decades to exploit victims.
Despite past praise between Trump and Diddy — including mutual acknowledgments of friendship in 2012 and 2015 — their relationship appears fractured. Trump has already issued pardons to celebrities, activists, and former allies during his second term, raising questions about the potential use of executive clemency in high-profile cases.
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