Images of Barack Obama laughing with Diddy have resurfaced on X amid the disgraced rap mogul’s sex trafficking arrest.
The producer’s indictment has sent shockwaves through the political world, with the many smiling images he took with powerful figures, also including Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, coming back to haunt celebrities this week.
When it came to Obama, the future president first crossed paths with Diddy in 2004 when the music mogul rallied support for Democrats ahead of that year’s DNC.
This included Diddy interviewing Obama for MTV, where he praised ‘Puff Daddy for all the work he’s been doing’ to get out the vote.
As Diddy’s wealth soared to over $700 million through the noughties, he became a top celebrity backer for the Democrats and used his platform to back the party in several election cycles.
In 2004, this saw Diddy interview both Obama – then a candidate for the senate in Illinois – and Hillary Clinton.
Footage of his brief interview with Obama circulated widely this week after Diddy’s arrest on sex crime charges, in which Obama praised the rapper’s efforts ‘because he doesn’t have to do this.’
‘This is part of what is important about giving back,’ the young Obama said.
Their exchange appeared jovial, as Diddy made fun of Obama sweating at the convention as he said he ‘wanted to apologize for not sweating’ while Obama jokingly padded his head with a napkin.
Diddy would go on to support Obama’s successful run for the White House in 2008, including hosting a ‘Last Chance for Change’ rally for the then-candidate in Florida days before the election.
Similarly as with Obama, conservatives leapt on an old Kamala Harris tweet in the wake of Diddy’s arrest where she praised the disgraced rap mogul.
The message was sent during the Vice President’s previous run for the White House in 2019, as she praised Diddy for hosting a town hall on racial inequality for her campaign.
‘There’s a lot at stake for our communities right now and it’s critical we bring to the forefront how coronavirus is perpetuating racial inequality and health disparities,’ the tweet read.
But while some tried to draw a connection between Harris’ past campaigning and the accused sex trafficker, others pointed out that Diddy’s former status as a hip hop icon put him in proximity to many stars.
This included some sharing images from a fundraiser Donald Trump hosted at Mar-a-Lago in 2005 for the Rush Philanthropic Foundation, where the former president was pictured with Diddy.
The pictures of Diddy and Trump together came at a time when Trump was a registered Democrat and a big fundraiser for the party.
It comes after Diddy, real name Sean Combs, was arrested Monday night in New York City following an indictment from a grand jury.
Combs was arrested by Homeland Security officials at the Park Hyatt hotel in midtown Manhattan, and on Tuesday a judge ordered him to be held without bail.
At the center of allegations against Diddy are so-called ‘freak off’ sessions where the rapper would allegedly coerce and drug women into performing lengthy sexual marathons.
The arrest of Diddy came approximately six months after federal authorities raided his homes in Los Angeles and Miami.
In those raids, prosecutors said agents found over 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant that were alleged to have been used in his infamous ‘freak offs.’
Authorities said they have interviewed more than 50 witnesses and associates, and their raids included the seizure of a trove of laptops, cell phones and hard drives.
Prosecutors also claim they are in possession of footage that they claim proves Diddy coerced and manipulated victims into taking part in lewd acts.
Diddy’s attorney Marc Agnifilo has argued in court this week that his client does not deserve to be lumped in with other high-profile figures accused of similar crimes, such as R. Kelly and Jeffrey Epstein.
Speaking of the indictment, Agnifilo said: ‘This is evidence, not of sex trafficking, but of being caught being unfaithful… He was in a 10-year loving relationship through dark periods.’
