A former employee of Sean “Diddy” Combs has cast doubt on recent rumors that President-elect Donald Trump may consider pardoning the embattled music mogul once he takes office.
Bad Boy Records founder Combs was arrested and charged on September 16, in a three-count indictment, with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation for the purpose of indulge in prostitution. He pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing, and was repeatedly denied bail.
Combs spokespeople have repeatedly emphasized News week to the following statement: “We live in a world where anyone can file a lawsuit for any reason and without any evidence. Fortunately, there is a fair and impartial legal process to uncover the truth and Mr. Combs is confident he will prevail against her and other baseless claims in court.
In the few weeks since Combs was taken into custody ahead of his May 2025 trial date, Trump has won the presidential election, giving him a second term in the White House. As the United States anticipates Trump’s return to power starting in January, speculation is already growing over whether the Republican will grant Combs a pardon.
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Gene Deal, who was Combs’ bodyguard in the 1990s when the star was known as Puff Daddy, expressed doubt that Trump would take such actions on the hip-hop musician’s behalf, given of his past criticisms of real estate. magnate.
During a recent appearance on the Hip-Hop Interview Channel The art of dialogueDeal said Combs “wasn’t even good with Trump like that.” [anymore]. He opposed Donald Trump. »
Deal, who wrote books about his time working for Combs, added that Trump “is [as] insignificant than 50 Cent,” referring to the rapper and businessman who has been highly critical of Combs in the months since the allegations against him were made public.
Keeping Combs’ past comments about Trump in mind, Deal reasoned that the new president will likely say, “Why should I help this motherf****** when he’s talking shit about me?”
“Everyone was dealing with Donald Trump at some point in the record business and all that kind of stuff,” Deal said, adding that those same people ended up “turning” on Trump as his political rise.
“Donald Trump probably wouldn’t piss off Puff if he was on fire,” he continued. “At one point, they were going after him. So why would he help? … I don’t think he’s going to help. Not at all.”
News week contacted representatives for Trump and Combs by email for comment.
Trump, comb over the years
Like many other celebrities, Trump and Combs have been photographed together at various events over the years. THE New York PostIt is Page six reported in May that Trump was among the celebrities featured in an invitation to Combs’ 29th birthday party in 1998. In the video invitation, Trump referred to Combs as “the legendary Puff Daddy.”
Although Trump has made few public comments about their relationship, he shared glowing words in an episode of The Celebrity Apprentice in 2012. Speaking to then-candidate Aubrey O’Day, Trump said: “I love Diddy. You know he’s a good friend of mine. He’s a good guy. Is he a good guy ?”
O’Day, who was part of the girl group Danity Kane, originally signed to Combs’ Bad Boy Records, declined to answer Trump’s question. In the years since, she has publicly criticized Combs. O’Day also claimed she had an affair with Donald Trump Jr. after they met on the show.
Combs has been comparatively more outspoken in his public statements about the elder Trump.
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In an interview given in October 2015 to The Washington PostCombs discussed his friendship with Trump, then a long-shot candidate in the 2016 Republican presidential primary.
“Donald Trump is a friend of mine and he works very hard,” Combs said.
During an interview with The Daily Beast in June 2017, Combs shared his thoughts on Trump, who at the time was several months into his first term.
“I think to be honest, we don’t give a damn about Trump, because [black people are] in the same shitty position. So this is not our subject. The nonsense that goes on in Washington DC is just an everyday affair for black people. It’s not surprising,” he said.
In 2020, as Trump sought a second term, Combs became more critical of the then-president, going so far as to support his opponent, Joe Biden.
“White men like Trump need to be banned. This way of thinking is really dangerous,” he said in an interview with radio host Charlamagne tha God, according to CNN.
“When you look at it, we don’t have a choice. Say what you want about Biden, I can’t say I like this choice either. But we have to put him in office, and then we have to hold him accountable,” Combs added.
Before leaving office in 2021, Donald Trump commuted the sentence of rapper Kodak Black and pardoned hip-hop star Lil Wayne for their separate gun offenses. Both stars have publicly expressed their support for Donald Trump.
