Speaking with members of the press on Friday afternoon, President Donald Trump floated the possibility of issuing a presidential pardon to disgraced rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs, saying "it's not a popularity contest" and "I would certainly look at the facts" if asked.
In a federal indictment unsealed on Sept. 17, Combs was charged with racketeering conspiracy (RICO); sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution. If found guilty, he faces a minimum of 15 years behind bars or a maximum sentence of life in prison.
He has maintained his innocence throughout the ongoing trial in which witnesses have testified to alleged rape, sexual assault, severe physical abuse, forced labor and drug trafficking.
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In response to a question by Fox News reporter Peter Doocy about his previous friendship with Diddy and whether he would consider a pardon of the former rapper, Trump indicated that he would consider "if I think somebody was mistreated."
The president said that so far "nobody's asked" for any such pardon, but noted: "I know people are thinking about it. I know that they're thinking about it. I think people have been very close to asking."
"First of all, I'd look at what's happening, and I haven't been watching it too closely, although it's certainly getting a lot of coverage," said Trump.
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"I haven't seen him. I haven't spoken to him in years," he went on, adding that Diddy "used to really like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics … that relationship busted up."
Trump said that though he never had a falling out with Diddy per se, after entering politics, he would "read some little bit nasty statements in the paper all of a sudden."
"It's different," he went on. "You become a much different person when you run for politics, and you do what's right. I could do other things, and I'm sure he'd like me, and I'm sure other people would like me, but it wouldn't be as good for our country."
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"As we said, our country is doing really well because of what we're doing, so it's not a popularity contest, so I don't know, I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated. Whether they like me or don't like me, it wouldn't have any impact on me," Trump concluded.
