Questions about Dolly Parton‘s political beliefs are resurfacing following her death at age 80.
President Donald Trump ordered American flags to be lowered to half-staff for one week in Dolly‘s honor on Tuesday (August 25). The country icon also received tributes from politicians across the political spectrum, prompting some people to wonder whether she had ever publicly identified herself as a Republican or Democrat.
The answer is no. Dolly never confirmed an affiliation with either major party and repeatedly avoided endorsing presidential candidates. While she made her opinions known regarding certain issues, she was careful not to present herself as a representative of one political side.
Was Dolly Parton a Republican or Democrat?
Dolly explained that she wanted to remain accessible to fans with different beliefs and understood that even a casual comment from her could carry considerable influence.
“I know whatever I say, people are going to listen, and they’re going to make more of it than maybe what I meant. So I have to be careful,” Dolly told People in a 2021 interview. “Of course I have my opinion, but I’m not an opinionated person as a rule. You’re allowed your own beliefs and your own faith, but you don’t have to use it like a weapon when it could be a tool.”
The “9 to 5” singer took a similar position during the 2016 presidential election. After comments she made to The New York Times about Hillary Clinton were interpreted as an endorsement, Dolly released a statement clarifying that she had not endorsed Clinton or Trump, and had not yet decided how she would vote.
There were also times that Dolly would criticize politics in broader strokes. In her 2023 song, “World on Fire,” she took aim at politicians she felt were prioritizing their parties over public good. But she carefully avoided singling out either party.
Following her death, politicians from across the spectrum spoke out to praise her and pay tribute, including Trump, Senator Bernie Sanders, Hillary, and more. She obviously had a broad appeal, but there’s no way to say for sure which way she voted.
Why did Dolly Parton decline the Presidential Medal of Freedom?
Dolly was offered the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice during Trump‘s first administration, but she declined it, though neither time did she specifically describe her decision as a rejection of Trump.
She said she could not accept the first offer because her husband, Carl Dean, was ill. When the administration approached her again, she declined because she didn’t want to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dolly later revealed that the Biden administration had contacted her about the honor as well. She expressed concern in 2021 that accepting it from President Joe Biden after declining Trump‘s offers might look like she was making a political statement.
In 2023, Today correspondent Jacob Soboroff said Dolly told him off camera that she ultimately declined Biden‘s offer because she wanted to avoid even appearing partisan.
Dolly publicly supported many social causes
Her public neutrality didn’t stop her from supporting causes and communities she cared about, though, as Dolly was an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and backed marriage equality early on. Following her passing, GLAAD recognized her decades of allyship, including her music and opposition to anti-transgender legislation in Tennessee.
She made childhood literacy a central part of her philanthropy. Founded in 1995, Dolly Parton‘s Imagination Library has distributed more than 300 million free books to children around the world.
In 2020, Dolly donated $1 million to COVID-19 research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Vanderbilt later confirmed that the fund supported important early work connected to Moderna’s vaccine.
Those positions and donations were public, but none constituted a declaration of party membership. When asked in 2023 about running for president herself, Dolly said she believed she could accomplish more through her songs, her acceptance of others, and the causes she chose to support.
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