It feels like a lifetime ago, but it has not even been a month since the Sean “Diddy” Combs trial ended. Since you may have slept since then, let me refresh your memory on what happened — and let you know what President Donald Trump is thinking about doing.
Suggested Reading
After an 8-week trial, Combs was acquitted of racketeering, conspiracy and sex trafficking charges; however, he was found guilty of two counts of transportation for the purpose of prostitution. He faces 20 years in prison from his conviction because each count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
But no one is expecting him to do all that time. Despite the publicity this trial received, dude is a first-time offender after all.
The prosecution has suggested a sentence closer to five years, with the defense arguing that two years would be a more suitable punishment. Ultimately, the final decision rests with the judge…or does it? This is where Trump enters the picture.
An administration source told Deadline that President Donald Trump is seriously thinking about issuing a presidential pardon for Combs before his upcoming sentencing in September. There are three reasons why this is the opposite of surprising.
Jeffrey Epstein
This is the story that won’t go away. I’ve gone into this before, but in brief the President said that there were no Epstein files after people in his administration said that there were. As a result of this dichotomy, all hell has broken loose in MAGA world.
Trump needs a distraction from the fallout of the disgraced financier, and this would serve that purpose. In his eyes, it may be better to have people talking about how you pardoned Combs than theorizing if you are hiding information about an indicted pedophile you once called friend.
Trump’s own track record
At the end of his first presidency, Trump pardoned and commuted the sentences of Lil Wayne and Kodak Black. Both were facing years behind gun related charges. Then in May, the president pardoned Louisiana rapper NBA YoungBoy (real name Kentrell Gaulden) and the Chicago gangster Larry Hoover.
Trump has not come out and said this directly, but these pardons read as an attempt to court to the Black community. (I sound like my grandmother talking about courtin’. But you get what I mean.) Given that Combs had support from some in the Black community through the trial, President Trump may jump at the opportunity to get a bit of that with a demographic where most of them deeply, deeply dislike him.
Trump might not think Diddy did anything wrong
Let’s just be honest. Before he became the President in 2017, a recording was released where Trump said, with his whole chest, that you have to ‘grab women by…’ you know the rest. Then a jury found the president liable for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996. And who could forget the whole ordeal with Stormy Daniels?
So, honestly, Trump may not think that what Combs was found guilty of was all that bad. He may free that man because he thinks the former Bad Boy executive got a raw deal.
So, should we be surprised that the President is considering pardoning Combs? Nope. Will he probably do it? Yep.
Straight From 
Sign up for our free daily newsletter.