50 Cent Mocks Diddy's Pardon Plea

President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that convicted music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has requested a presidential pardon, a revelation that drew a swift and mocking reaction from Combs’ longtime rival, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. During a press briefing, when asked about other potential pardons, Trump volunteered the information about the Bad Boy Records founder. “I have a lot of people asking for pardons,” Trump told reporters. “I call him Puff Daddy, he's asked me for a pardon.”

The confirmation follows Combs' recent sentencing on Friday, October 3, 2025, where he received a 50-month prison term for prostitution-related convictions. The request for clemency from Combs, who was found guilty in July 2025 on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, had been rumored for months after a member of his legal team acknowledged outreach to the administration.

In response to Trump’s statement, 50 Cent took to social media to ridicule the pardon request, continuing his years-long public feud with Combs. In an Instagram post, the rapper wrote, "Man you can't get No pardon running ya mouth like that! LOL Get Out of here." 50 Cent also shared an AI-generated image of himself laughing alongside President Trump, with a caption that read, “Can you believe he thought he was getting pardoned. No Sir, you are not. You said very nasty things.”

Trump himself alluded to a strained relationship with Combs as a potential obstacle to a pardon. He noted that while he had been friendly with the music producer in the past, Combs became "very hostile" when he ran for office, making a pardon "more difficult to do." The public exchange places Combs’ hope for executive clemency at the center of a media spectacle fueled by celebrity rivalries and political calculations.

• Timeline of Recent Events: The developments unfolded rapidly over several months. In July 2025, a jury convicted Sean Combs on two prostitution-related offenses but acquitted him of more severe charges like racketeering and sex trafficking.
• On Friday, October 3, 2025, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced Combs to 50 months in federal prison. Just days later, on Monday, October 6, President Trump publicly confirmed that Combs' team had formally requested a pardon.
• Details of the Conviction and Sentence: Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced Combs to four years and two months in prison and imposed a $500,000 fine. This sentence was significantly less than the 11 years and three months sought by federal prosecutors, who described Combs as "unrepentant."
• However, it was much more than the 14-month sentence requested by his defense team, which would have made him eligible for release soon, considering the 13 months he had already served since his September 2024 arrest.
• Trump's Position and Rationale: President Trump did not give a definitive answer on whether he would grant the pardon but expressed clear reservations. In comments made in August and reiterated in October, Trump cited Combs' negative statements about him during his political campaigns as a complicating factor.
• "You know, I was very friendly with him," Trump said. "But when I ran for office, he was very hostile." This suggests the decision may be influenced by personal loyalty as much as the legal merits of the case.
• The Long-Running 50 Cent vs. Diddy Feud: The rivalry between 50 Cent and Diddy dates back to the mid-2000s and has involved diss tracks, public insults, and business competition. 50 Cent has been relentlessly vocal throughout Combs' legal troubles, frequently posting mocking commentary on social media.
• He has also announced he is producing a Netflix documentary about the allegations. His reaction to the pardon request is the latest chapter in this prolonged and public conflict.
• The Pardon Request's Legal Context: Rumors of a pardon request first surfaced in August 2025 when a member of Combs' legal team, attorney Nicole Westmoreland, told CNN, “It's my understanding that we've reached out and had conversations in reference to a pardon.”
• However, reports later emerged that Combs' lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, disputed Westmoreland's claim, creating confusion around the effort. Trump's recent confirmation has now clarified that a formal request was indeed made.
• Political and Social Implications: Trump's consideration of a pardon for a high-profile celebrity like Combs aligns with his past use of executive clemency for political allies and reality TV stars, often bypassing the traditional Justice Department review process.
• The situation has also drawn commentary from other figures, such as former Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight, who called Combs' sentence lenient and alleged he has "powerful ties."
• Potential Future Developments: While the pardon request hangs in the balance, Combs' legal battle is not over. His defense team is expected to appeal both the conviction and the 50-month sentence, a process that could take several months to resolve.
• The final decision on the pardon rests with President Trump, who has not provided a timeline for his consideration.
• Background of the Federal Case: The charges against Combs stemmed from a sprawling federal investigation that became public in March 2024 when Homeland Security agents raided his properties in Los Angeles and Miami.
• The investigation followed a series of civil lawsuits filed in late 2023, most notably by his former partner, singer Cassie Ventura, alleging abuse. Combs was arrested in September 2024 and indicted on charges including racketeering and sex trafficking before his eventual conviction on the lesser prostitution-related counts.