Former President Donald Trump was asked outright from the Oval Office whether he’d be willing to pardon embattled music executive Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is accused of federal sex trafficking and RICO charges. Trump, never one to pass up a bright, shiny thing when presented with an opportunity to make a headline, didn’t quite say yes, but he left the door wide open.
“Nobody’s asked, and I know they’re thinking about it,” Trump replied in a manner that suggested that he’s already thought about it. “He was very high on me for two years, and one day, when I was running for politics, that relationship broke up, according to what I read.”
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It’s true. Long before the political spotlight was turned up to full blast, Diddy and Trump ran in somewhat similar high-profile circles: two wealthy, headline-hoarding New Yorkers with a lust for flash. But, as Trump’s political aspirations began to rise, Diddy’s public stance turned frosty.
Nevertheless, Trump maintained his feelings wouldn’t influence any prospective decision. “I would look at the fact pattern. “If I thought someone was offended, whether they like me or not like me, it would have no bearing on me.”
That’s not just idle talk; Trump has a history of pardoning rappers. Lil Wayne, Kodak Black, and just last month, NBA YoungBoy, who was granted clemency, are among those who have benefited from the stroke of Trump’s presidential pen. The hip-hop world still carries weight in the eyes of the former president.
But this situation hits differently. Diddy’s not in the middle of a scandal. He’s in the eye of a hurricane. Diddy’s legal woes are substantial, with more than 60 civil suits accusing him of rape and abuse and a major federal criminal case underway. These are not merely tabloid headlines. We’re going back decades with some grave allegations here.
And the irony? Trump’s legal history sounds similar notes. A New York jury held Trump responsible for sexually assaulting writer E. Jean Carroll in the ’90s, ordering him to pay her $5 million. Then, in January 2024, after Trump publicly made clear his intention to deny her claims further, another jury tacked on $83.3 million. Trump’s cases are civil, though (the statute of limitations on criminal charges had lapsed); however, the similarities are hard to overlook.
So when Trump says he’ll “look at the facts,” it raises more than eyebrows. It raises questions. Is this about justice? Image? Strategy?
As Diddy’s trial moves toward a July conclusion, the attention of the world will be not only on the courtroom but also on the Oval Office or whatever room from which Trump is speaking. Because love him or hate him, when Trump says he’s pawing the ground, it’s never just words.
And in this case, two of the most polarizing figures in public life are walking parallel high-stakes legal tightropes, and the headlines are just as vertigo-inducing.
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