WASHINGTON — President Trump said Wednesday that country music star Dolly Parton “really liked me,” but stayed out of politics to avoid losing fans.
Trump ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff Tuesday after the “I Will Always Love You” singer died at age 80.
“She was unique. I mean, she was amazing,” Trump, 80, told radio host Glenn Beck.
“And to lose her, it’s like you lose a member of the family, you know, we we all knew her so well.”
Trump said “I knew her a little bit. She wasn’t a very political person. She really liked me, I will tell you.”
“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?” he added
“But she was a great person, and she was just a nice person. You know, I liked her a lot, and I thought it was a natural thing to lower the flags.”
Parton said that she steered clear of politics — even declining the Presidential Medal of Freedom from both Trump and former President Joe Biden.
She said in 2021 she refused the honor during Trump’s first term due to her husband’s health and to avoid travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, then decided she couldn’t accept it from Biden.
“I feel like if I take it, it’ll be doing politics, so I’m not so sure,” Parton told NBC’s “Today” show.
Trump was a fan of Parton and used her song “Jolene” as part of his campaign playlist.
Parton is the latest musical icon adored by the president to die this year.
Village People frontman Victor Willis died June 30 at age 74, after defending Trump’s use of “Y.M.C.A” as his 2024 campaign anthem.
“Total Eclipse of the Heart” singer Bonnie Tyler died July 8 at age 75. Trump was heard blasting her best-known hit in May over the Rose Garden’s new sound system after she was hospitalized.
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