President Donald Trump’s flirtation with pardoning Sean "Diddy" Combs has fizzled out faster than a progressive’s free-speech pledge. The president, once chummy with the music mogul, now leans against clemency, citing Combs’ hostile jabs during past political campaigns, as the Daily Mail reports. It’s a classic case of loyalty mattering more than leniency in Trump’s world.

Combs was convicted on two counts of transportation for prostitution but dodged heavier charges like sex trafficking and racketeering earlier this month.

Trump, speaking to Newsmax, called Combs “essentially, sort of, half innocent,” a backhanded nod to the acquittals. Yet, that half-hearted praise won’t spring Combs from his Brooklyn cell, where he awaits a potential 10-year sentence on Oct. 3.

Trump and Combs, both New Yorkers, once shared a cordial rapport, with Trump describing him as a “nice guy” despite not knowing him well.

That warmth chilled when Combs backed Joe Biden in 2020, warning of a “race war” if Trump won. Political betrayal stings, and Trump’s not one to forget a slight, even if he claims it won’t “cloud” his judgment.

Pardon talks hit wall

Trump had toyed with the idea of a pardon since Combs’ trial began, musing in May that “nobody’s asked but I know people are thinking about it.”

His advisors, Alice Marie Johnson and Ed Martin, floated the possibility, tying Combs’ case to Trump’s gripes about “overcriminalization.” But the vibe has shifted, and Trump now says a pardon is unlikely, quipping, “I’d say so” when pressed.

Attorney John Koufos, who met with Trump’s pardon team, argued Combs’ case fits Trump’s crusade against prosecutorial overreach. Trump himself has railed against racketeering charges in his own Georgia election case, calling them a weaponized farce. Yet, Koufos admits there’s “nothing particularly sympathetic” about Combs’ convictions, dimming the pardon prospects.

Combs’ legal saga started with serious allegations, but the jury only nailed him on prostitution-related charges. Analysts, including Koufos, question whether the government overplayed its hand with a RICO charge better suited for mob syndicates than a solo act. Still, “he pretty obviously did” the crimes he was convicted of, Koufos noted, which doesn’t scream clemency material.

Trump’s pardon patterns emerge

Trump’s pardon history leans heavily on loyalty and political alignment. He’s freed allies like former Rep. Michael Grimm and ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who called Trump a “great effing guy” post-pardon. Combs, with his Biden endorsement and campaign barbs, doesn’t fit the mold of a Trump loyalist deserving a get-out-of-jail card.

The First Step Act, which Trump champions, supports reentry programs for ex-inmates, but Combs’ case isn’t a natural fit. His convictions, while not the worst charges leveled, carry a hefty 10-year maximum. That’s not the kind of “overcriminalization” Trump typically rallies against, especially for someone who turned on him politically.

Trump’s own words reveal the calculus: “He used to like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics, he sort of, that relationship busted up.” Combs’s “nasty statements” in the press left a mark. Personal grudges, even if Trump denies their sway, seem to tip the scales against mercy.

Combs’ past comes back to haunt

Back in 2016, Combs stayed neutral, but his 2020 Biden endorsement was a loud rebuke of Trump. Warning of a “race war” was a bold move, one that now haunts his pardon chances. Trump’s not wrong to weigh personal loyalty -- politics is a relationship game, not a charity.

Still, Trump claims he’d look at the “facts” of Combs’ case, insisting personal feelings wouldn’t sway him. “If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me, it wouldn’t have any impact,” he said. Noble in theory, but Combs’ public disloyalty makes that a tough sell.

Koufos’s take is blunt: a RICO conviction would’ve been a different story, but Combs’s actual crimes don’t scream injustice. The prostitution charges, while serious, lack the sympathetic edge needed for clemency. Trump’s not in the business of handing out favors to foes.

Pardon unlikely

Combs’ acquittal on sex-trafficking and racketeering gave him a partial win, but Trump’s not celebrating. “I don’t know what they do that he’s still in jail or something,” Trump mused, confused by Combs’ “victory” that wasn’t. It’s a wry jab at a system Trump sees as erratic but not necessarily unjust here.

The pardon buzz, fueled by advisors like Johnson and Martin, has fizzled as Trump’s stance hardens. Combs’ case doesn’t align with the First Step Act’s spirit or Trump’s pattern of rewarding allies. A pardon for a Biden backer who threw shade? Not likely.

In the end, Combs’ fate rests on his October sentencing, not Trump’s goodwill. Personal history and political loyalty -- or lack thereof --- have tipped the scales. For Trump, a pardon for Combs would be less about justice and more about rewarding a turncoat, and that’s a bridge too far.