The White House is pushing back on claims that President Donald Trump plans to commute the sentence of disgraced music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. The denial follows a TMZ report Monday citing a “high-ranking White House official.”
In a statement to Straight Arrow News, a White House spokesperson said, “There is zero truth to the TMZ report, which we would’ve gladly explained had they reached out before running their fake news. The President, not anonymous sources, is the final decider on pardons and commutations.”
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TMZ stands by its reporting
TMZ issued its own response Tuesday morning, saying, “The White House Communications Office is saying our story is not true. We stand by our story. Our story is accurate.”
The report surfaced after Combs was sentenced in early October to 50 months in federal prison. The 54-year-old producer was convicted in July on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and has been in custody since September 2024.
According to TMZ’s unnamed source, “Trump will do what he wants,” and Combs could be released as early as this week.
Past discussions of a pardon
SAN previously reported that Trump has mentioned the possibility of a pardon for Combs on multiple occasions. A source told Deadline in July that the president was “seriously considering” a pardon — echoing Trump’s earlier remarks from the Oval Office.
“First of all, I’d look at what’s happening,” Trump said during a May 30 press gaggle. “And I haven’t been watching it too closely, although it’s certainly getting a lot of coverage.”
Trump made those comments while Combs’ trial was still underway. However, discussions about potential clemency reportedly intensified over the summer as Combs’ legal team lobbied the White House directly.
On July 2, a jury in New York acquitted Combs of the most serious charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering. He was, however, convicted on two lesser federal counts, leading to his current 50-month sentence.
