Mr Mike Tyson has allegedly acted as an unlikely courier for Mr Sean “Diddy” Combs, delivering a pardon request to President Donald Trump at the White House in November 2025.
The former heavyweight boxing champion, 59, was photographed at the presidential residence on November 21, with White House Director of Communications Mr. Steven Cheung sharing an image of himself alongside Mr. Tyson on X.
Sources close to the boxer claim he was handed the document by someone within Mr Combs’ inner circle and later passed it to the president during his visit.
According to The US Sun, neither Mr Combs’ representatives nor Mr Tyson’s team have confirmed or denied the claims surrounding the alleged delivery of the letter.
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Mike Tyson and Sean Combs have known each other since the mid-1980
|PA
An insider quoted by the publication claimed Mr Tyson met with one of the imprisoned music executive’s closest associates prior to the visit.
The source said: “Mike had a meeting with one of Diddy’s closest confidantes, and he handed him a letter from Diddy.
“He asked what the letter was and was told it was Diddy asking for a pardon from Trump.”
The source alleged that Mr Tyson was uneasy about the request but ultimately agreed to carry it out.
Mr Steven Cheung shared an image of himself alongside Mr Tyson on X at The White House
|@StevenCheung47 / X
“Mike admitted he was feeling nervous about it, but agreed to take it to the White House when he visited,” the insider claimed.
“He said he handed the letter to Trump and did exactly what Diddy’s lot had asked of him.”
President Trump has since acknowledged receiving correspondence from the 56-year-old music mogul but has firmly ruled out the prospect of clemency.
Speaking at a recent press conference, the president confirmed the existence of the letter, although The New York Times reported he did not produce the document when discussing it with journalists.
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Mr Combs was convicted on two counts of transportation for the purposes of prostitution but was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges
|REUTERS
A White House spokesperson told the outlet that reports suggesting a decision had been made regarding a pardon were “not accurate”, while stressing that the president remains “the final decider” on such matters.
Mr Trump’s stance appears consistent with comments he made during an interview last August, when asked whether a pardon for Mr Combs would be “more likely a no”.
“I’d say so,” the president replied.
During the same interview, Mr Trump said he had once been “very friendly” with the fellow New Yorker, but claimed Mr Combs later made “terrible statements” about him during his first presidential campaign.
President Trump has acknowledged receiving correspondence from Mr Combs, but has ruled out the prospect of clemency
| REUTERSWhen the issue of a potential pardon was first raised in summer 2025, the president said he was not closely following the situation but indicated he would “look at what’s happening”.
Mr Combs’ long-time rival, rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, has also publicly vowed to oppose any presidential clemency for the music executive, with whom he has maintained a lengthy feud.
The music mogul is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Fort Dix, New Jersey, after being transferred from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on October 30.
Mike Tyson has admitted he is nervous before his Jake Paul fight | GETTYThe 56-year-old was convicted on two counts of transportation for the purposes of prostitution but was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges.
He was sentenced to 50 months in prison, just over four years, and is expected to remain behind bars until June 4, 2028.
His legal team has since lodged an appeal against the verdict, arguing the sentence was unjust.
They recently secured a procedural victory after a court approved their request to expedite the appeals process.