Rapper and entrepreneur 50 Cent says he plans to speak directly with President Donald Trump about music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, but insists his intent is not to influence any potential presidential pardon.
The rapper, real name Curtis Jackson, sparked headlines after reacting to Trump’s recent comments in a Fox News interview, where the US President said he would “consider” pardoning Diddy if he were convicted in his ongoing federal sex trafficking case. In response, 50 posted on social media: “He said some really bad things about Trump, it’s not ok. I’m gonna reach out so he knows how I feel about this guy.”
Some media outlets interpreted the comment as 50 Cent urging Trump not to grant a pardon to Diddy. However, Jackson later clarified that he simply wants to express his personal views about Diddy and to inform Trump of disparaging remarks the Bad Boy Records founder allegedly made about him.
“I didn’t say don’t pardon him, I just said he’s been disrespectful,” 50 explained in a follow-up post on Instagram, distancing himself from interpretations that he was lobbying for Diddy’s imprisonment.
The remarks follow a string of public jabs from 50 Cent toward Diddy since the music mogul’s legal troubles began. After Diddy was arrested in September amid a federal investigation, 50 has repeatedly mocked him online, including sharing an AI-generated image of himself wearing a “Free Diddy” T-shirt.
Diddy is currently facing serious federal charges, with ongoing trial proceedings including testimony from a former assistant under the pseudonym “Mia,” alleging s3xual misconduct.
Meanwhile, Trump, who recently granted pardons to reality TV personalities Todd and Julie Chrisley, has not ruled out extending clemency to Diddy. His openness to the idea has stirred widespread debate, particularly in entertainment and political circles.
While 50 Cent has not disclosed when or if the meeting with Trump will happen, he maintains that his goal is simply to voice his perspective, not to interfere with legal decisions.