Dolly Parton's Sister Labels Trump's Behaviour 'Deranged' After Claims the Late Singer Was a Secret MAGA Fan

Dolly Parton's glittering legacy has barely had time to settle before Donald Trump has sparked a fresh political storm around the late country music icon.

Just one day after Parton died aged 80, Trump claimed during an appearance on Glenn Beck's programme that she 'really liked' him and suggested she may have kept any support for him private because she feared losing fans.

But while Parton carefully avoided political labels throughout her life, her sister Stella has never been nearly as restrained when it comes to Trump. Her outspoken criticism has now resurfaced, offering a striking contrast to the president's suggestion that the beloved singer was quietly on his side.

Trump Claims Dolly Parton Secretly Liked Him

Trump made the remark while discussing Parton's death with conservative broadcaster Glenn Beck, after initially praising the singer and describing her as someone whose loss was deeply significant.

'I knew her a little bit. She wasn't a very political person. She really liked me, I will tell you,' Trump said.

He then suggested Parton may have avoided publicly expressing support for him because doing so could have cost her part of her fanbase. The comments immediately drew attention because Parton had consistently presented herself as politically neutral rather than publicly endorsing presidential candidates.

Parton herself once explained her approach during a podcast, saying, 'I don't do politics. I have too many fans on both sides of the fence.' She added that she had opinions but had learned to keep quiet about them.

Stella Parton Has Been Far More Blunt

Stella has repeatedly criticised Trump and his administration, including in a post published shortly before Dolly's death. According to reports, she wrote, 'As a natural born citizen of the United States of America I do not support nor do I agree with Trump or his deranged, ugly, nasty behavior.'

She also said many people felt disgusted and threatened by Trump's actions, his Cabinet and his political allies. The post was later deleted, but screenshots were retained and circulated.

Stella had already attacked Trump days earlier, referring to him as a 'pimple' and Congress as 'pus' in another post. Her comments make clear that at least one member of Dolly's immediate family has been an outspoken opponent of the president.

Importantly, Stella's political views should not automatically be presented as proof of Dolly's own beliefs. Dolly was famously protective of her ability to remain broadly loved across political lines.

Dolly's Record Was More Complicated Than MAGA

Parton may have avoided presidential endorsements, but she was never detached from issues involving compassion, equality and helping others.

She publicly supported LGBTQ+ people and spoke against Tennessee legislation targeting transgender people in 2023, saying she simply wanted everyone to be treated well. In 2020, she also defended the Black Lives Matter movement.

Her philanthropy became one of the clearest expressions of her values. Through the Imagination Library, she helped provide millions of free books to children, while she also donated $1 million (£733,550) towards COVID-19 vaccine research at Vanderbilt University.

Her 1980 song and film 9 to 5 also became closely associated with working people and workplace inequality, giving her cultural legacy a distinctly pro-worker dimension.

Yet Parton repeatedly resisted being placed into a political camp. She declined Presidential Medals of Freedom offered during Trump's first administration, although she later explained that personal circumstances and the pandemic prevented her from accepting.