Speculation in recent weeks has claimed that Donald Trump might pardon Sean “Diddy” Combs, especially now that he is most likely returning to the White House. That speculation piqued the interest of a few gamblers who think its payout could be huge since many of them had placed bets that it actually was going to happen.
Diddy was in some serious legal issues: racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and other stuff. He has pleaded not guilty to the crimes and is awaiting a trial scheduled to take place in May 2025. His ex-bodyguard Gene Deal seemed to doubt a pardon was in store for him: Diddy had been one to come out and rip Trump, perhaps a reason Trump won’t help him out.
Trump granted several high-profile pardons during his past presidency to those like rappers Lil’ Wayne and Kodak Black, mainly on firearm-related charges. He has never given pardons concerning sexual crime charges to anyone thus far. With all of this in mind, dealing with the comments made by Diddy in the past about Trump, Deal concluded that he felt Trump would think that a pardon wasn’t an option because of their troubled history.
While gamblers might stay optimistic about a full pardon that could yield some financial dividends, the combination of legal issues and Diddy’s history with Trump makes the likelihood of such an outcome highly questionable. Trump has, so far, granted clemency to those serving time, largely for non-violent offenses, more so to do with firearms: rappers Lil’ Wayne and Kodak Black over gun charges being good examples. Notably, none of these pardons involved sex crimes or trafficking serious charges Diddy currently faces. Beyond that, it may indicate that he could be very leery about granting clemency in cases where such allegations have been raised.
With Trump, almost every pardon seems to have various relationships he has built in the process. Some, like Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, have been noted to publicly support Trump in varying ways that are conceivably inspiring their pardons. On the other hand, Diddy is one who has criticized him time and time again over recent years.
In fact, last year, he went as far as to endorse Joe Biden during the 2020 election and even further tear down major points in Trump’s leadership. This, perhaps, could leave him opposed to any type of pardon by Trump himself.
Trump has also been strategic with his pardons, timing them to coincide with public sentiment or the interests of his base. Given how serious the charges against Diddy were and the intense media coverage leading up to and surrounding his trial, a pardon would likely be politically perilous for Trump if it were perceived as quickly undermining his hard-on-crime rhetoric.
Though it is not common for presidents to pardon people not convicted, it is also not unheard of. Examples include how Gerald Ford moved to pardon Richard Nixon before there was a conviction. However, previously, Trump’s pardons have issued to those who have already served some legal sentence. Pardoning Diddy will most definitely inflame Trump’s political opponents and members of the public who may view such a move as tantamount to condoning reprehensible behavior that many have condemned.
Praise for Donald Trump by Diddy in public can mean everything for any chance of release, getting a pardon, considering how Trump has outlined the criteria for said pardons. Several times, Diddy has taken shots at Trump, particularly during the 2020 election cycle when he came out to support Joe Biden, while also voicing staunch opposition to the policies and leadership style of Trump. A position such as this that he has taken could lead Trump to view him with displeasure and ruin any hope for a pardon.
As the world watches, the question remains: will Trump consider a pardon for Diddy? The answer could significantly affect Diddy’s future, the political landscape, and the gambling community. Whether it’s a jackpot-worthy payday or a missed opportunity, one thing is clear: the stakes are high, and the outcome is uncertain.
