As President Donald Trump alerts openness to issuing a pardon for Sean “Diddy” Combs, the transfer is already drawing political fireplace. Reports suggesting that Trump is contemplating clemency for the hip-hop mogul—presently going through federal fees—have triggered a wave of criticism from conservative media circles.

Megyn Kelly, the previous Fox News anchor, took to X (previously Twitter) to denounce the concept outright. “Trump should not pardon Diddy. He doesn’t deserve it,” she wrote, referencing Diddy’s conviction on two counts associated to the transportation of people for prostitution. Kelly, who referred to as Diddy a “woman abuser,” warned that such a pardon might alienate conservative voters—significantly younger girls—at a time when the GOP is actively making an attempt to shut gender gaps forward of November.

The preliminary report from Deadline mentioned Trump is “seriously considering” a pardon, citing sources near the previous president. When requested concerning the matter throughout a latest Oval Office briefing, Trump responded fastidiously. “I would certainly look at the facts if I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me. It wouldn’t have any impact on me.”

Diddy’s sentencing combat raises authorized, political, and cultural stakes

Diddy is scheduled to face sentencing on October 3, the place he might obtain as much as 20 years in jail. Prosecutors, nonetheless, are pushing for a four-year sentence. In an effort to keep away from jail time, Diddy’s authorized crew has supplied a $50 million bail bundle, which incorporates passport give up and oversight from the U.S. Pretrial Services Agency.

Meanwhile, his attorneys are additionally searching for a retrial. In court docket filings, they argue that Diddy’s conduct was misrepresented. “Mr. Combs, at most, paid to engage in voyeurism as part of a ‘swingers’ lifestyle. That does not constitute ‘prostitution’ under a properly limited definition of the statutory term.” They declare trial proof confirmed Diddy employed male dancers and escorts from reliable companies, emphasizing that each one events concerned consented and had been compensated pretty.

The case continues to take a seat on the tense intersection of superstar, politics, and prison justice. For Trump, weighing a pardon for somebody like Diddy carries authorized and cultural baggage—together with political danger. The GOP’s subsequent transfer might nicely rely on how this second performs out, each in court docket and within the court docket of public opinion.