President Donald Trump likened the passing of country music legend Dolly Parton to the loss of a cherished family member, as he reflected on a cultural figure admired by Americans across the political spectrum.
She was amazing. And to lose her, it’s like you lose a member of the family. You know, we all knew her so well. “I knew her a little bit. She wasn’t a very political person. But she was a great person. She was just a nice person. I liked her a lot. Former President Barack Obama honored Parton in a post on X, stating, “it’s hard to imagine many people having a bigger impact than Dolly Parton. Parton never disclosed her political affiliation and generally refrained from public political endorsements. Parton declined invitations to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from both President Trump and former President Joe Biden.
“But she was also 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, OK? Not 50. Parton’s family announced on Tuesday that she passed away at the age of 80 after a brief struggle with cancer. Nevertheless, the singer was an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ rights and publicly opposed several anti-transgender laws in her home state of Tennessee in 2023.
During an interview on conservative commentator Glenn Beck’s radio show, Trump said, “She was unique. She really liked me, I will tell you,” the POTUS said.
