Former President Donald Trump claimed that the late country music icon Dolly Parton secretly "really liked me" and that her recent death felt like losing “a member of the family.”
"She really liked me, I will tell you," Trump said in an interview with Glenn Beck on Wednesday, a day after Parton's death. He suggested Parton's reluctance to publicly endorse him stemmed from a desire not to alienate a portion of her fanbase. "She was of the opinion, the 50%, who needs to lose?" he said, estimating that only about 20% of her fans would object to her expressing political favor towards him.
In tribute, Trump ordered the nation's flags to be flown at half-staff for one week, a prolonged period of mourning for a private citizen. "There has never been anyone like her, and never will," he stated in a social media post.
Parton consistently avoided public political endorsements, explaining that she did not want to offend or divide her fans. She told People magazine in 2021, “I know whatever I say, people are going to listen, and they’re going to make more of it than maybe what I meant. So I have to be careful. Of course I have my opinion, but I’m not an opinionated person as a rule.”
Her public advocacy focused on issues such as LGBTQ+ equality, children's education and literacy, and vaccinations, including her contribution to funding Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine.
In contrast, the Trump administration took actions that opposed some of Parton's positions. Trump appointed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for his anti-vaccination views, to lead the nation's health department. Additionally, his administration rescinded executive orders that protected LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination in federal agencies and schools, and implemented measures targeting transgender individuals in educational and military settings.
Parton expressed her views on respect and non-judgment in 2016 when asked about North Carolina's contentious "Bathroom Bill." "I think everybody should be treated with respect," she told CNN. "I don’t judge people. I try not to get too caught up in the controversy of things. I hope that everybody gets a chance to be who and what they are. I just know if I have to pee, I’m going to pee. I don’t care where it’s going to be."
In 2016, prior to his first term, Trump stated he agreed with transgender individuals using bathrooms aligning with their gender identity. However, after taking office, his administration ended federal protections for transgender students.