Former President Donald Trump asserted that the late country music star Dolly Parton "really liked me," explaining that she chose to remain apolitical to avoid alienating a portion of her audience. Trump made these remarks during an interview with radio host Glenn Beck on Wednesday.
"She was of the opinion, you know, the 50% — who needs to lose, I don’t think it’s 50. I think it’s probably 20% of the fans, okay?" Trump said, referencing Parton's presumed calculus for staying out of political discourse. He added that Parton "was a great person, and she was just a nice person. You know, I liked her a lot."
Trump also ordered flags at the White House and federal buildings to be lowered to half-staff on Tuesday to honor Parton, who died at the age of 80. "And to lose her, it’s like you lose a member of the family, you know, we we all knew her so well," Trump commented about the singer's passing.
Parton herself had previously indicated that she steered clear of politics, even declining the Presidential Medal of Freedom from both Trump and former President Joe Biden. In a 2021 interview with NBC's "Today" show, Parton explained she refused the honor during Trump's first term due to her husband's health and to avoid travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. She later decided she could not accept it from Biden, stating, "I feel like if I take it, it’ll be doing politics, so I’m not so sure."
Trump was known to be a fan of Parton's music and had previously used her song "Jolene" as part of his campaign playlist. Parton's death follows those of other musical figures whose music was associated with the former president. The Village People frontman Victor Willis died in June, and "Total Eclipse of the Heart" singer Bonnie Tyler died in July. Trump was reportedly heard playing Tyler's hit song in May.