Mike Tyson hand-delivered President Trump a letter from Diddy: ‘I did what he told me to do’

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The former boxing pro said the request came during a phone call that he had with Combs, who is serving prison time for prostitution-related charges.

Tyson's comments follow reports that he was the one who helped Combs ask Trump for a presidential pardon.

Mike Tyson has indicated that he was the messenger who helped Sean "Diddy" Combs request a presidential pardon.

The retired boxer briefly discussed his friendship with Combs during a recent visit to SiriusXM's Andy Cohen Live after the titular host asked, "Were you buddies with P. Diddy?"

Tyson replied, "Yeah, I'm friendly with Puff."

Asked if the duo remain in touch now that Combs is serving prison time for prostitution-related charges, Tyson shared that he "spoke with him once on the phone." He then revealed that during that call, the disgraced music mogul asked him for a favor.

"He wanted me to give a letter to the president," Tyson said.

When Cohen asked if Tyson made the delivery, the boxer replied, "I did what he told me to do, yeah."

Mike Tyson and Sean Combs at 'Belvedere's Jagger Dagger Party' held at the Palm Beach during the 61st Cannes Film FestivalCredit: Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty

Tyson's comments come several months after an unidentified source told The Sun that the former boxing champion was the one who hand-delivered a letter from Combs to President Trump, containing a personal appeal requesting a presidential pardon. The source claimed that Tyson agreed to make the delivery despite "feeling uneasy" about the situation.

"Mike admitted he was feeling nervous about it, but agreed to take it to the White House when he visited," the source told the outlet. "It wasn't something he was expecting when he met with them, but Mike did what he was asked."

A representative for Tyson did not immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly's request for comment.

At the start of this year, Trump confirmed to the New York Times that Combs has asked him for a pardon, with the request coming "through a letter." Despite previously stating that he would be willing to "look at the facts" of Combs' case and consider pardoning the rapper, Trump has since indicated that he is not planning to grant clemency to Combs.

Donald Trump during a Congressional resolution signing in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC in May 2025.Credit: Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty

Trump has pardoned a number of celebrities since taking office, including rappers Kodak Black and Lil Wayne, both of whom were convicted on federal weapon charges. In October 2025, the White House denied that Trump was mulling over whether to commute Combs' sentence. Months prior, in August 2025, Trump expressed a similar disinterest when asked about potentially pardoning Combs during an interview with Newsmax.

"You know, I was very friendly with him. I got along with him great and seemed like a nice guy. I didn't know him well," the president responded. "But when I ran for office, he was very hostile."

When asked if he was suggesting that he would not pardon Combs, Trump said, "I would say so."

Though Trump and Combs used to travel in the same social circles as New York City elites in the 1990s, their mutual appreciation soured after Trump got into politics and Combs voiced criticism of him.

On the subject of pardoning Combs, Trump added, "We don't like to have things cloud our judgment, right? But when you knew someone, and you were fine, and then you run for office, and he made some terrible statements… So I don't know, it's more difficult. It makes it more — I'm being honest, it makes it more difficult to do."

Sean 'Diddy' Combs in August 2023Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty

More than 70 lawsuits have been filed against Combs since November 2023, alleging sexual assault and sex trafficking. Two years later, the music mogul was at the center of a highly publicized federal trial, based on charges that also include racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution.

Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York accused Combs of leading a criminal enterprise that "abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct," according to the indictment. Combs pleaded not guilty and has denied all of the allegations against him.

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Combs was ultimately found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, a verdict that was widely seen as a legal victory for the rapper, as he was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have seen him sentenced to life in prison. He was sentenced to 50 months (just over four years) in prison, fined $500,000, and ordered five years of supervised release once he leaves prison. He has since been serving time at Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution in New Jersey.

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