August 2nd 2025.
On August 1st, Donald Trump made a statement reaffirming his previous comments about being hesitant to pardon Sean Combs, the disgraced music mogul. Trump referred to Combs as "half-innocent" and suggested that his criticism towards Trump in the past may have played a role in his chances of receiving a pardon.
According to Rolling Stone, Combs was recently found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, but was acquitted of more serious charges such as sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. He is currently facing a maximum sentence of 10 years, but legal experts predict that he will receive a much lighter punishment when he is sentenced on October 3rd.
In an interview with Newsmax's Rob Finnerty, Trump hinted that he does not fully believe Combs' innocence and pointed out that Combs' negative comments about him in the past may have affected his decision to pardon him. Trump stated, "We're human beings and we don't like to let personal feelings cloud our judgment. When I first knew him, we got along great, but when I ran for office, he became very hostile. It makes it difficult to make a decision like this."
He then added, "He was half-innocent, I guess. He's still in jail, but he was celebrating a victory. I guess it wasn't as big of a victory as he thought." This sparked speculation that Trump may consider a full pardon for Combs before his sentencing in October.
Deadline reported that a source from the Trump administration claimed that a pardon for Combs was being seriously considered. However, they also noted that with Trump, it is best to wait for his signature before assuming anything. Rolling Stone also reported that some of Combs' associates were lobbying for a pardon, but it is unlikely that he will serve a significant amount of time in jail.
With the time he has already served, Combs is expected to serve between two to three years, and his lawyers are planning to file an appeal after his sentencing. Variety reported that Combs' lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, has already filed a motion seeking a retrial or acquittal for his client's conviction under the Mann Act.
Agnifilo explained, "Sean Combs has basically been convicted for using the services of a sex worker, and that's just not really prosecuted anymore. The Mann Act is not supposed to be applied to the user of prostitution services. It's supposed to be used for people who make money from the business of prostitution."
When asked about the possibility of a pardon from Trump, Agnifilo stated that he does not put much stock in rumors. He said, "I am not involved in that in the least. I have no idea. Sometimes I think there's nothing to it, and other times I think it's just gossip. But I don't claim to know the president's mind. My focus is on the case itself and what happened in the courtroom."
In a separate statement, Trump addressed the question about pardoning Combs and mentioned their past relationship. He said, "We used to be very friendly, but when I ran for office, he became very hostile towards me. It's hard to make a decision when someone you were once friendly with turns against you."
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