Mike Tyson has confirmed he personally delivered a letter from Sean “Diddy” Combs to President Trump requesting a pardon, ending months of speculation about his role in the imprisoned music mogul’s bid for clemency.
The retired heavyweight champion, 60, discussed the matter during an appearance on SiriusXM’s “Andy Cohen Live,” an episode released Thursday. When host Andy Cohen asked whether Tyson was “buddies with P. Diddy,” Tyson replied, “Yeah, I’m friendly with Puff,” using Combs’ earlier stage name, Puff Daddy.
Cohen pressed further, asking whether Tyson remained in contact with Combs, who is currently incarcerated at the Fort Dix federal prison in New Jersey on prostitution-related charges. Tyson said he had “spoke to him once on the phone” and that Combs asked him for a favor.
“He wanted me to give a letter to the president,” Tyson said.
When Cohen asked directly whether Tyson had given Trump a letter from Combs, Tyson responded, “I did what he told me to do,” without elaborating further.
Reports first surfaced in January
Tyson’s involvement first came to light in January, when sources told The US Sun that the boxer had hand-delivered the letter to Trump. According to those sources, someone in Combs’ inner circle gave Tyson the pardon request and asked him to pass it along personally.
“He asked what the letter was and was told it was Diddy asking for a pardon from Trump,” one source told the outlet, adding that “Mike admitted he was feeling nervous about it, but agreed to take it to the White House when he visited.”
The same source said Tyson later confirmed he had handed the letter directly to Trump, following through on what Combs’ associates had asked of him.
Trump has signaled no plans to act
An attorney for Combs confirmed in August 2025 that the rapper’s legal team had reached out to the Trump administration regarding a pardon. But Trump has given no indication he intends to grant one. In comments reported by The New York Times in January, Trump acknowledged Combs had “asked me for a pardon” through a letter, but said he was not considering it.
In October, the White House pushed back on a separate TMZ report suggesting Trump could release Combs from prison that week, calling the claim fabricated.
“There is zero truth to the TMZ report, which we would’ve gladly explained had they reached out before running their fake news,” the administration said in a statement. “The President, not anonymous sources, is the final decider on pardons and commutations.”
Combs’ case and prison status
Combs was convicted in July 2025 on two counts of transportation for prostitution but was acquitted of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and racketeering conspiracy. He is now serving a 50-month sentence at the low-security federal facility in New Jersey.
He was reportedly placed in solitary confinement after reports surfaced describing a lavish lifestyle behind bars, including alcohol, nude photos, a contraband cellphone and staff attending to his needs.
The White House has not responded to a request for comment on Tyson’s remarks.
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