Although Dolly Parton rarely made her political views public and routinely sidestepped questions about the president, Donald Trump claimed she “really liked” him.
Parton died at age 80 on Tuesday following a brief battle with cancer.
Trump quickly issued a statement honoring her life and career after the news emerged. He also ordered US flags to be flown at half-staff for one week in her memory.
“Very sad to report that one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER, has just passed away. This is a true loss for millions of people. There has never been anyone like her, and never will,” Trump wrote.
He then added a personal claim, in characteristically Trumpian fashion.
“I knew her a little bit,” the president told Glenn Beck during a Wednesday morning interview. “She wasn’t a very political person.”
“She really liked me, I will tell you,” he added.
Parton came of age during a period when many entertainers kept their political opinions private, and she generally avoided taking public positions on government and elections.
Donald Trump said on Wednesday that although Dolly Parton “wasn’t a very political person,” she “really liked” him
Country music icon Dolly Parton died at age 80 in Nashville after battling cancer
Parton repeatedly declined to answer reporters’ questions about her political views
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Parton told CNN that Trump and Hillary Clinton were “both nuts.”
She described the election as “the greatest show on television” but refused to reveal which candidate she supported.
Some interpreted her remarks about Clinton as a subtle endorsement. Parton, however, used the opportunity to further clarify her nonpartisan position.
YOU MAY ALSO READ: Elon Musk’s Tesla Ends Cybertruck Production After Recalls
“I have not endorsed Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump,” the country star said at the time.
In 2018, an ABC Nightline reporter asked Parton whether Trump resembled the sexist boss portrayed in the film 9 to 5.
Once again, she declined to be drawn into the political debate.
“I’m not addressing that,” she said, deftly deflecting the question.
“I’m not in politics, I’m an entertainer,” Parton continued. “That’s why I don’t talk about people.”
Parton often reminded reporters that she was an entertainer, not a political figure
When The Guardian asked about Trump again in a 2019 interview, she ended the line of questioning by saying, “I ain’t talking about Trump!”
The cause of Parton’s death has not been publicly disclosed. Her representatives had previously said that she was forced to cancel several performances because of “health struggles.”
Her Las Vegas residency, the singer’s first in 32 years, was initially postponed in September because of “health challenges.” Six performances at Caesars Palace were later rescheduled before being officially canceled in May of this year.
At the time, the Queen of Country, renowned for hits including “Jolene” and “9 to 5,” reassured her fans that she had no plans to retire.
“Don’t worry about me quittin’ the business because God hasn’t said anything about stopping yet,” she said.
“But I believe he is telling me to slow down right now so I can be ready for more big adventures with all of you.”
Reports later said Parton spent her final days at Nashville’s Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. She was reportedly admitted to the hospital on Friday.
