Justin Bieber speaks out on Diddy’s ‘freak offs,’ clarifies he was not the disgraced rapper’s ‘victim’

Justin Bieber’s personal life has been a source of speculation over the past few months — more so than usual. He’s mostly chosen to stay silent about the rumors swirling around him, but he made an exception when it came to Diddy.

When Diddy was first accused of sex trafficking, everyone in his circle came under suspicion of either knowing what was happening or being involved in some way. Some celebrities were rumored to be co-conspirators. Others were believed to be victims. A resurfaced video of a then-15-year-old Justin Bieber with Diddy raised eyebrows. Bieber looked visibly uncomfortable while Diddy made unsettling remarks about how hanging out with him was “a 15-year-old’s dream.” In hindsight, it plays differently — disturbingly so. We now know that some of Diddy’s accusers were underage when he allegedly trafficked them. Hopefully they, too, will get the justice they deserve.

Meanwhile, Bieber has been navigating a much different, stripped-down phase of his public persona. He’s had ongoing tensions with the paparazzi. There are reports he’s facing financial issues. And fans suspect marital problems, fueled by his pattern of following and unfollowing Hailey Bieber on social media — a metric people obsess over these days.

Now, with Diddy’s trial finally underway and horrifying details of his abusive relationship with Cassie coming out, Bieber has broken his silence. His representatives sent an official statement to Page Six, saying: “Although Justin is not among Sean Combs’ victims, there are individuals who were genuinely harmed by him. Shifting focus away from this reality detracts from the justice these victims rightfully deserve.”

The Diddy case began with bombshells and continues to unfold. Both the prosecution and the defense are still working through their list of potential witnesses. Maybe Bieber simply wants to stay out of the crossfire and follow his lawyer’s advice. He’s not the only celebrity distancing themselves from Diddy amid the criminal proceedings. Still, whatever his reasons, it’s commendable that he emphasized keeping the spotlight on Diddy’s alleged actions and the victims’ pursuit of justice.

As for Bieber, his focus now seems to be on his long-awaited album. And it has a lot riding on it. According to TMZ, he still owes his former manager Scooter Braun $8 million. He also reportedly sold his catalogue for $200 million to get out of debt. Meaning he’ll need to produce new hits — and tour them — to stay financially secure. To be fair to Bieber, making hits has never been particularly something he struggles with. Even his critically panned songs like Yummy managed to get to the top of the charts.

But financial concerns seem minor compared to what’s at stake in the Diddy case. Fans continue to speculate about Bieber’s mental health and whether he’s spiraling. But at least, they now have clarity: he was never one of Diddy’s victims.

He’s a father now, and the pressure of raising a family under relentless public scrutiny must be immense. Hopefully, he can channel some of that experience into his music and evolve into more mature, reflective ballads.