President Donald Trump said Wednesday that country music icon Dolly Parton “really liked me,” while explaining that the famously apolitical entertainer largely stayed away from politics because she did not want to alienate portions of her enormous fan base.
Trump made the remarks during an interview with conservative radio host Glenn Beck one day after Parton died at the age of 80.
“She was unique. I mean, she was amazing,” Trump said while reflecting on the music legend’s death. “And to lose her, it’s like you lose a member of the family.”
The president said he knew Parton “a little bit” and described her as someone who generally avoided partisan politics despite her personal views.
“She wasn’t a very political person. She really liked me, I will tell you,” Trump said.
Trump suggested that Parton understood publicly embracing a political figure could risk alienating some of her supporters.
He said Parton appeared to take the position that there was little reason to potentially lose a sizable portion of her audience by inserting herself into political battles.
“But she was a great person, and she was just a nice person,” Trump said. “You know, I liked her a lot.”
Trump’s comments came after he ordered US flags lowered to half-staff following Parton’s death.
A White House proclamation issued Tuesday directed flags at the White House, federal buildings, military posts, naval stations and US facilities overseas to remain at half-staff until sunset on Sept. 1.
Trump said Wednesday that honoring Parton in that manner felt appropriate.
“I thought it was a natural thing to lower the flags,” he said.
Parton spent decades deliberately attempting to keep herself outside partisan political disputes.
She previously declined offers of the Presidential Medal of Freedom during Trump’s first administration.
Parton later explained that she initially turned down the award because her husband, Carl Dean, was ill and again because she did not want to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She also said she was hesitant about accepting the honor from former President Joe Biden because doing so could create the impression that she was taking a political position.
“I feel like if I take it, it’ll be doing politics,” Parton said during a 2021 appearance on NBC’s “Today.”
Trump nevertheless remained a public admirer of the Tennessee-born superstar and used her iconic song “Jolene” as part of his campaign playlist.
Parton died Tuesday after a brief battle with cancer, according to statements from her representatives reported following her death. Her passing sparked tributes from fans, musicians, celebrities and political figures across the country, per the New York Post.
The singer became one of the most recognizable entertainers in American history through classics including “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You.”
Her influence stretched well beyond music.
Parton also built a major philanthropic legacy through programs including her Imagination Library, which has distributed hundreds of millions of books to children around the world.
Trump’s latest remarks offered another glimpse into Parton’s longstanding effort to maintain broad appeal across political lines, even while presidents from both parties sought to honor her.
