Mike Tyson faces criticism after traveling aboard Air Force One with President Donald Trump, days after revealing he delivered Diddy’s pardon request.
The former heavyweight champion accompanied Trump to Syracuse, New York, on Friday (October 9), where the president campaigned for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman.
The White House celebrated their trip with a photograph and a message announcing their next stop in New York.
The friendly display drew criticism from social media users who questioned Tyson’s political loyalty and his willingness to campaign alongside Trump.
One user questioned Tyson’s appearance, while another accused him of seeking a political payday without providing evidence.
Others defended the former champion, pointing out that Tyson has openly supported Trump for years and has never hidden their friendship.
Tyson made his position clear when Trump invited him onstage during the Syracuse rally.
“I’m just happy to be up here with my president, President Trump,” Tyson told the crowd. “And, there’s no way in the world I would ever be here if it wasn’t for a president like Donald Trump.”
The two men have known each other since Trump’s Atlantic City casino days, when Tyson fought major bouts at his properties.
The public appearance also comes immediately after Tyson acknowledged playing a personal role in Diddy’s effort to secure a presidential pardon.
During an appearance on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live, Tyson confirmed that Diddy contacted him from prison and asked for help reaching Trump.
“He wanted me to give a letter to the president,” Tyson explained.
When Cohen pressed him about whether he actually delivered the request, the boxing legend gave a simple answer.
“I did what he told me to do, yeah.”
Tyson also questioned the federal government’s prosecution of the Bad Boy Records founder, who remains incarcerated at FCI Fort Dix.
“They used a 110-year-old rule to get him,” Tyson said, referring to the Mann Act used in Diddy’s criminal case.
Diddy received a 50-month prison sentence after his conviction on two prostitution-related transportation counts, although jurors acquitted him of sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
Trump has rejected Diddy’s pardon request, and nothing publicly establishes that Tyson’s latest White House visit involved further discussions about the imprisoned mogul.
The next major political event is the November 3 midterm election, when New York voters will decide the governor’s race.
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