RismadarVoice Reporters, August 27, 2026
US President Donald Trump has said late country music legend Dolly Parton “really liked” him, while reflecting on the singer’s decision to stay away from partisan politics during her lifetime.
Parton died on Tuesday, August 25, at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer. Her death has drawn tributes from across the United States and beyond.
Speaking during an interview with Glenn Beck on Wednesday, Trump described Parton as a “great person” and said her death felt like losing “a member of the family.”
Trump said Parton had been reluctant to publicly express her political views because she did not want to alienate part of her fan base.
“She really liked me,” Trump said, adding that he believed Parton avoided making her views public because of concerns about losing some of her supporters.
Parton was widely known for maintaining a politically neutral public image. Rather than openly aligning herself with political parties or candidates, she generally emphasised her music, charitable activities and social causes.
The singer had previously explained that she was careful about expressing political opinions because she believed people could interpret her comments differently from what she intended.
Despite her political restraint, Parton publicly supported a number of social and humanitarian causes, including children’s literacy, education, equality and COVID-19 vaccine research.
She contributed $1 million to research that helped support the development of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine and was also widely recognised for her Imagination Library programme, which provides books to children.
Parton also spoke in support of treating members of the LGBTQ+ community with respect. In a 2016 interview concerning North Carolina’s controversial bathroom legislation, she said she believed people should be allowed to be themselves and that everyone deserved respect.
Trump, meanwhile, has ordered US flags to be flown at half-staff across the country in honour of Parton. The presidential proclamation directs the flags to remain at half-staff at federal buildings, military installations, naval vessels and US diplomatic facilities worldwide until sunset on September 1, 2026.
Trump described Parton as a unique figure whose influence extended beyond music, saying there had never been anyone like her and there would not be another like her.
Parton’s death has prompted widespread tributes, with fans, musicians, public officials and other public figures remembering her six-decade career, songwriting legacy and philanthropic work.
