White House pushes back on reports that Trump will commute Diddy's sentence: TMZ

Diddy lawyers ask judge to send him to NJ prison

Sean "Diddy" Combs’ lawyers want the hip-hop mogul sent to a low-security federal prison in New Jersey to serve his four-year, two-month prison sentence, telling a judge Monday that the facility’s drug treatment program will help him stay clean.

NEW YORK - Sean "Diddy" Combs was sentenced to 50 months in prison, but will his sentence be commuted by President Donald Trump?

Diddy's sentence, potential Trump involvement

The backstory:

Combs was convicted in July on two counts of violating the Mann Act, a federal law banning interstate prostitution. Prosecutors said he arranged paid sexual encounters between his girlfriends and male sex workers. Each charge carried a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

On Oct. 3, Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced Combs to just over four years in prison.

After the sentencing, Combs’ lawyers asked that he be sent to a low-security federal prison in New Jersey to serve his sentence, telling a judge that the facility’s drug treatment program would help him stay clean.

President Trump told reporters that same day that Combs had asked him for a pardon. Trump, referring to Combs by the nickname "Puff Daddy," did not say if he would grant the request. 

Messages seeking comment on Trump’s remarks were left for Combs’ lawyers and his publicity team.

Will Trump commute Diddy's sentence?

What we know:

A "high-ranking White House official" told TMZ that Trump is considering commuting Combs' sentence "as early as this week." To commute a sentence is to reduce or lessen a sentence resulting from a criminal conviction.

However, the White House Communications Office pushed back on the story today, Oct. 21.

"There is zero truth to the TMZ report, which we would've gladly explained had they reached out before running their fake news," the Trump administration said in a statement provided to The New York Post.

Trump commuted another sentence recently

Dig deeper:

Trump commuted the sentence of disgraced former Rep. George Santos less than a week ago – Santos was serving more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft charges.

FULL: George Santos post-prison interview | Local exclusive

In his first local TV interview since Pres. Trump Donald Trump commuted his sentence, George Santos tells FOX 5 NY’s Jodi Goldberg about his time in prison, including solitary confinement and "cat food" served as meals. He apologizes to his constituents but doesn’t detail plans about paying back his victims. He also touches upon what’s in store for Santos 2.0, including a newfound passion for working with youth and fighting for prison reform.

"I just signed a commutation, releasing George Santos from prison immediately," Trump posted on his social media platform.