Donald Trump once called Sean "Diddy" Combs a "good guy" and said he was "going to stick up for him."
Trump made the comment in a 2012 episode of "The Apprentice."
Among sources that spread the rumor was the entertainment news site Meaww. It published the headline, "Watch Trump stand up for 'good guy' Diddy in old 'Apprentice' clip after Aubrey O'Day suggests otherwise." O'Day is a singer and former member of Danity Kane, a girl group that Combs formed. Also, in a mid-September 2024 show, comedian Jimmy Kimmel brought up Trump's alleged comments, too.
(X user @777_IS_666)
Trump did indeed praise Combs using those words in 2012. He made the comments in the first episode of the 12th season of "The Apprentice," the reality competition show that judged the business acumen of contestants and Trump hosted between 2004 and 2017. As such, we determined this claim is correctly attributed.
This particular season of the show featured a number of celebrities, including O'Day. We found a copy of the full episode via the Internet Archive, and it can be seen here.
The moment in question occurred at the 1:09:25 mark, after O'Day was asked whether she thought another contestant should remain on the show:
O'Day publicly criticized Combs in 2022, alleging she was kicked out of Danity Kane in 2008 because she refused to fulfill non-music-related requests for Combs. After his 2024 arrest, she said she felt "validated," posting on X: "The purpose of Justice is to provide an ending and allow us the space to create a new chapter. Women never get this. I feel validated. Today is a win for women all over the world, not just me. Things are finally changing."
We have covered the music mogul's purported ties to other high-profile figures, including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. We reported how a miscaptioned video and fake photograph falsely claimed Harris attended a party with Combs in 2001, when in reality she was there with television host Montel Williams.
Combs was arrested in New York in mid-September 2024 after being indicted by a federal grand jury. The three-count indictment alleges sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and interstate transportation for prostitution, as reported by The Associated Press. He also faces a number of court cases over sexual assault allegations. The rapper was in jail and awaiting trial, as of this writing.
Aniftos, Rania. "Aubrey O'Day Says She Feels 'Validated' Following Diddy's Arrest: 'Things Are Finally Changing.'" Billboard, 17 Sept. 2024, https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/aubrey-oday-validated-reaction-diddy-arrest-1235777610/. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
"Aubrey O'Day Feels 'Validated' After Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Arrest: 'Today Is a Win for Women All over the World.'" Peoplemag, https://people.com/aubrey-oday-feels-validated-after-sean-diddy-combs-arrest-8714223. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
Ibrahim, Nur. "Photo Doesn't Show Harris Attending Party with Sean 'Diddy' Combs." Snopes, 18 Sept. 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/kamala-harris-sean-diddy-combs-photo/. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
Ibrahim, Nur. "Video Doesn't Show Harris at Party Alongside Sean 'Diddy' Combs." Snopes, 18 Sept. 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/kamala-harris-party-sean-diddy-combs/. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
One Three Media. "The Apprentice (US) Season 12." 2012. Internet Archive, http://archive.org/details/TheApprenticeUSSeason11. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
Oxford, Dwayne. "Sex Trafficking and Racketeering: The Charges against Sean 'Diddy' Combs." Al Jazeera, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/18/sex-trafficking-and-racketeering-the-charges-against-sean-diddy-combs. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
"Sean 'Diddy' Combs Will Stay in Jail after Bail Is Denied for a Second Time." AP News, 18 Sept. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/diddy-baby-oil-sean-combs-indictment-unsealed-b60db3252403f2bfbe24c54b34f0cfdb. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
"Trump WON'T STOP Pushing Pet Eating Lies, Oprah Surprises Audience and Clooney & Pitt Help Jimmy." Sept. 17, 2024, Jimmy Kimmel Live, YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RTiD4dqZDs. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
"Watch Trump Stand up for 'good Guy' Diddy in Old 'Apprentice' Clip after Aubrey O'Day Suggests Otherwise." MEAWW News, https://news.meaww.com/watch-trump-stand-up-for-good-guy-diddy-in-old-apprentice-clip-after-aubrey-o-day-suggests-otherwise. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.