NEWS
US President Donald Trump has said it would be “difficult” to pardon Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs as he was “very hostile” towards him.
The rapper and music mogul was found guilty on two counts of transportation for engaging in prostitution, but was acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking in July. He pleaded not guilty to all five charges.
Combs is currently awaiting sentencing at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, where he has been held since his arrest in September last year. Last week (July 29), he asked a judge to release him on a $50million (£37.4million) bond as he waits to be sentenced in October.
In June, Trump said that he would look into a potential pardon for Combs, and that he would “certainly look at the facts”.
Now, though, he’s weighed in again, calling Combs “half-innocent” and saying it’s “more likely a no” that he would be pardoned.
“Well, he was essentially, I guess, sort of half-innocent,” Trump told Newsmax host Rob Finnerty on Friday (August 1). “[He’s] still in jail or something, but he was celebrating a victory. But I guess it wasn’t as good of a victory.”
Trump went on to recall that he was “very friendly with him. I got along with him great, and [he] seemed like a nice guy. I didn’t know him well. But when I ran for office, he was very hostile. It’s hard, you know? We’re human beings. And we don’t like to have things cloud our judgment, right? But when you knew someone and you were fine, and then you run for office, and he made some terrible statements. So I don’t know …. it makes it more difficult to do.”
It echoes comments he made in May, when he said about Combs: “I haven’t seen him, I haven’t spoken to him in years. He used to really like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics, that relationship busted up. I read some little bit nasty statements in the paper all of a sudden.”
Referring to a possible pardon, Trump added at the time: “I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody is mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me, it wouldn’t have any impact on me.”
The US President and rapper were once on good terms, with Trump attending a number of Combs’ VIP parties and events in New York City, and calling the rapper “a good friend” during a 2012 episode of The Apprentice, while Combs called Trump “a friend of mine” in 2015, shortly after Trump launched his first campaign.
But when asked about Trump in 2017, Combs told the Daily Beast, “I think that to be honest, we don’t really give a fuck about Trump, because [black people are] in the same fucked-up position. So that’s not what we’re on.”
Then, speaking to Charlamagne tha God in 2020, Combs said, “White men like Trump need to be banished. That way of thinking is real dangerous. This man literally threatened the lives of us and our families about going to vote … The number one priority is to get Trump out of office.”
Combs faces a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars on the two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. However, he could receive less than this because it is a first-time conviction.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
NEWS
Ice Spice has released her new single “Pretty Privilege,” marking a noticeable shift from her signature New York drill-inspired sound. But the change in style isn’t the only thing that’s getting people talking. Fans are once again speculating about the rumored tension between her and Cardi B, a topic that first gained attention when a snippet of the track appeared online.
For those who missed it, Cardi B had previously gone on a rant that included jabs at Ice Spice and her manager. Not long after, Spice previewed “Pretty Privilege,” which featured the lyric, “She might talk s**t on the ’Gram, but she won’t talk it to my face.” That line quickly sparked debate among listeners, with many believing it was aimed at the AM I THE DRAMA? rapper.
This added fuel to speculation that a rivalry might be brewing. During the phone call in question, Cardi B criticized Ice Spice while speaking to her manager, James Rosemond Jr. She later apologized for her remarks about Latto and claimed that Rosemond Jr. was responsible for leaking their private conversation.
Now that the full version of “Pretty Privilege” has been released, Complex reports that other theories have emerged. Some fans believe the song might actually target Brooklyn rapper Stunna Sandy, whom Spice was said to call out in her earlier track “Baddie Baddie.” On that record, she rapped, “I know that she wants to be me / But she is not doing it well,” leading to renewed discussions about hidden disses.
While talk of a feud between Cardi B and Ice Spice isn’t new, both artists have publicly denied having issues in the past. Even so, online chatter continues to shape how fans perceive their relationship. Aside from that controversial phone call, there’s no real evidence to suggest they’re actually on bad terms.
Still, as speculation keeps circulating, the story might take new turns. Whether it’s genuine tension or just fan-driven drama, it’s clear that the Internet has played a big role in keeping the conversation alive. For now, Cardi and Ice Spice don’t seem particularly close, but time will tell if the rumors fade or resurface once again.
