Dolly Parton’s Death Prompts Rare Bipartisan Outpouring From U.S. Political Leaders

Dolly Parton performs during halftime in the game between the Washington Commanders and the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Nov.

23, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. —Ron Jenkins––Getty Images The death of country music legend , actor, and philanthropist Dolly Parton has prompted a rare moment of bipartisanship, with tributes pouring in from both sides of the political aisle.

Parton, who died at the age of 80 on Tuesday, was widely loved and celebrated around the world and leaves behind a life that touched the lives of millions of Americans.

“Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience.

With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place,” read a statement shared on Parton’s social media page.

Read More: Dolly Parton Dies at 80 President Donald Trump ordered U.S. flags at the White House and other federal facilities to be flown at half-staff through Sept.

1.

Trump called Parton an "amazing" person who and "to lose her is like to lose her a member of the family." "She wasn't a very political person," Trump said during a live radio interview Wednesday morning with conservative host Glenn Beck.

Despite her grand public presence and persona, Parton often chose to stay out of political discourse.

“Everybody knows I don't do politics because my mother was a Democrat, my daddy was a Republican, so I'm a hypocrat,” she joked in 2017 when asked on Fox & Friends why she had not joined Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin’s anti-Trump remarks at the Emmys.

“I've got as many Republican fans as Democrats, and I don't want to make any of them mad at me, so I don't play politics.

Plus, I'm an entertainer, I don’t usually voice my opinion in a situation like that,” Parton added.

Parton reiterated her apolitical stance during an interview with ABC's David Wright in 2018, where she again repeated, “I'm not being political.” “I don't do politics.

I'm not getting into any of that because I have a lot of fans out there, and I don't want to offend anybody,” she said.