Trump considering pardon for P. Diddy and other high-profile figures to mark America’s 250th: report
President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a pardon for disgraced music mogul Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, who is currently in federal prison in New Jersey for prostitution-related crimes.
The president is also reportedly considering some kind of reprieve for Prakazrel “Pras” Michel of the hip-hop group The Fugees, who is imprisoned on foreign lobbying-related violations, sources told CBS News.
The alleged clemency considerations may be part of a larger reported effort by the White House to issue “250 pardons for 250 years” as part of Independence Day celebrations.
The Independent has sought comment from Combs.
The White House referred The Independent to comments from Trump this January, in which the president claimed Combs wrote him a letter seeking a pardon. The Republican told The New York Times he is not considering granting the alleged request.
The denial joins comments from last year, when the White House batted down speculation a Diddy pardon was imminent.
The president and Combs, both New York City-based businessmen with second careers in reality TV, previously knew each other socially, though Trump has said they lost touch after he entered politics.
“I haven’t seen him. I haven’t spoken to him in years,” Trump said last May. “He used to really like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics, that relationship busted up, from what I read.”
Combs is currently appealing his conviction and sentence.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated with new information.
