Diddy’s legal team confirms outreach to Trump for possible Presidential pardon

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ defense team has confirmed that they’ve approached the Trump administration to explore the possibility of a presidential pardon. A presidential pardon is one of the most powerful tools granted to a US president, the ability to forgive a federal crime and restore a person’s civil rights, effectively wiping away their conviction as if it never happened.

Nicole Westmoreland, a key attorney on Combs’ high-profile legal team, said on Tuesday (August 7) that discussions had taken place with members of President Donald Trump’s camp. “It’s my understanding that we’ve reached out and had conversations in reference to a pardon,” Westmoreland said.

The revelation comes just weeks after a jury convicted Combs on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was acquitted of the more serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, charges that could have landed him a life sentence. Now, he faces up to 20 years in prison, with prosecutors indicating they may push for a “substantially higher” sentence than the minimum 4-5 years previously outlined.


In an interview last week with Newsmax, Trump appeared cool to the idea of clemency, citing Combs’ previous criticism of him. “I was very friendly with him, but when I ran for office, he was very hostile,” Trump said. “That makes it more difficult to do.”

Despite this, Westmoreland said Combs remains “very hopeful,” adding that his current circumstances have changed him profoundly. “He appreciates the second chance. He was facing life and that really does something to the soul.”

Inside the trial

The two-month trial featured 34 prosecution witnesses, including singer Dawn Richard and Bryana Bongolan, a close friend of Cassie Ventura. Bongolan claimed Combs once dangled her over a 17-story balcony in 2016. Westmoreland’s cross-examination, however, produced hotel records placing Combs in New York at the time, far from the Los Angeles balcony in question.

Judge Arun Subramanian likened the moment to a “Perry Mason” breakthrough, calling the cross-examination a pivotal turn in the trial.

Despite being acquitted of sex trafficking and RICO, Combs remains in custody at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. Multiple motions to grant bail including one offering a $50 million bond have been denied, with the judge citing the artist’s past violence and flight risk.

In another twist, Gina Huynh, once identified anonymously as “Victim-3” in the case, wrote a letter to the court supporting Combs’ release. She had previously been expected to testify for the prosecution, but disappeared before the trial began. When asked if Combs had contacted Huynh directly, Westmoreland replied firmly: “Absolutely not.”

Huynh’s support stood in contrast to other women, including Ventura, who submitted letters to the court urging that Combs remain incarcerated for their safety.

While Combs avoided conviction on the most serious federal charges, he still faces a tidal wave of civil lawsuits, many from alleged victims who were minors at the time of the incidents. Westmoreland dismissed these claims, pointing out that they were not included in the government’s criminal case.

“If there was any real evidence of those allegations, we would have heard all about it in the criminal trial,” she stated, arguing that the federal government “knew there was no way Combs committed sex trafficking or RICO.”

Combs’ sentencing is scheduled for October 3. His legal team is also preparing an appeal and may seek a full acquittal or retrial.

“He was painted like a monster,” Westmoreland said. “And I would imagine that any and everyone would want to clear their name.”