U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly stated he does not intend to grant a pardon to music executive Sean "Diddy" Combs, who is currently serving a prison sentence. The declaration came during a recent interview, where Trump also ruled out clemency for several other prominent individuals.
High-Profile Requests Denied
In an interview with The New York Times published on Thursday, January 8, 2026, Trump confirmed that Sean "Diddy" Combs had sent him a letter requesting a pardon. However, the President indicated he was not inclined to approve it. Combs, 56, was convicted in July of last year on two counts of transporting people across state lines for prostitution. A jury acquitted him on more severe charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. He is serving a four-year sentence.
Trump extended his list of denied pardons beyond the hip-hop star. When asked about the deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, who was recently seized by U.S. forces and faces drug trafficking charges, Trump responded, "No, I don't see that."
Other Names on the No-Pardon List
The President's clemency refusal extends to other figures in legal jeopardy. He stated he has no plans to issue pardons to disgraced cryptocurrency tycoon Sam Bankman-Fried, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence, or to former Democratic senator Robert Menendez, sentenced to 11 years for accepting bribes.
During the interview, Trump was also questioned about the possibility of pardoning Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd in 2020. To that, Trump said, "I haven't been asked about it."
A Pattern of Presidential Pardons
This news follows a series of pardons already issued by Trump. Notably, in November, he pardoned Honduran ex-president Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was serving a 45-year sentence for drug trafficking. Furthermore, on his inauguration day, Trump pardoned more than 1,500 people convicted or charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He has since carried out a slew of other pardons for political loyalists.
The President's latest comments draw a clear line on which requests he is willing to entertain as his term continues, shutting the door on clemency for several high-profile individuals facing serious criminal convictions.
