The White House has denied a new report from TMZ that suggests President Donald Trump could pardon convicted rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs by commuting his prison sentence as early as this week.
On Monday, TMZ reported that an anonymous high-ranking White House official confirmed that the president was considering commuting Combs’ prison sentence and that the famous rapper could be released as early as this week.
According to TMZ, the anonymous White House source claimed that Trump was “vacillating” on a commutation. The outlet claimed that while some White House staff members are allegedly advising the president not to commute the controversial rapper’s prison sentence, one source suggested, “Trump will do what he wants.”
In response to TMZ’s report, a White House official issued a statement to NBC News on Tuesday, saying, “There is zero truth to the TMZ report, which we would’ve gladly explained had they reached out before running their fake news.” The White House official added, “The president, not anonymous sources, is the final decider on pardons and commutations.”
While the White House denied TMZ’s story, the news outlet has insisted that its report regarding Combs’ potential pardon is accurate. In an update, TMZ wrote, “The White House Communications Office is saying our story is not true. We stand by our story. Our story is accurate.”
NBC News reported that Combs was sentenced on October 3 by a federal judge to 50 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine after the rapper was convicted in July on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Trump previously addressed a potential pardon request for Combs in May prior to the rapper’s conviction. Asked about a potential pardon, Trump told reporters, “Nobody’s asked. But I know people are thinking about it. I know they’re thinking about it. I think some people have been very close to asking.”
“I haven’t seen [Diddy], I haven’t spoken to him in years,” Trump said. “He used to really like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics … that relationship busted up, from what I read. I don’t know — he didn’t tell me that, but I’d read some little bit nasty statements.”
“I would certainly look at the facts,” Trump added. “If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me, it wouldn’t have any impact on me.”
