Dolly Parton's Silence On Trump Might Be Saying More Than Words

One thing people might never know about Dolly Parton is what side she leans on politically, and the "Jolene" singer would like to keep it that way. Throughout her career, the iconic artist has mostly avoided discussions regarding political affairs. Because of this, Dolly maintained her silence even during President Donald Trump's polarizing climb to power. But whereas the "9 to 5" actor mostly stayed hush about other presidents for the sake of neutrality, there are signs her silence towards Trump was more about giving the "Apprentice" host the cold shoulder. In Dolly's interview with The Guardian, for instance, she briefly touched on why she didn't rebuke former President Bill Clinton after his infamous scandal with Monica Lewinsky in the 1990s. At the time, she felt Clinton was like one of her brothers. "I know those men. In every man I see someone in my family," she said about the former president. But when she was asked if she thought the same thing about Trump, Dolly refused to even entertain the idea, like she had with Clinton. "I ain't talking about Trump," she declared. 

Additionally, her younger sister, Stella Parton, may have also provided subtle clues about what Dolly really thinks about Trump. Stella has been a vocal critic of the president's administration and their policies. Although siblings don't always share the same political views, Stella hinted that she and Dolly's values may be similar. Stella once called out the hitmaker for keeping certain controversial opinions all to herself; it's likely Stella would only do so if Dolly's perspectives aligned with hers. All the criticisms Stella has been leveling at President Trump over the years could very well be what Dolly thinks about him as well.

Dolly Parton may have revealed more about her feelings toward President Donald Trump through her actions than she ever has through her words. The money she poured into helping develop the COVID-19 vaccine not only hinted at how much Parton is actually worth, but it also demonstrated she was at odds with the anti-vaccine philosophy some of Trump's supporters stood by at the height of the pandemic. Furthermore, Parton advocated for Black Lives Matter, a movement that Trump may have shown a few signs of aggression towards. So, even though Parton has said she and Trump have one thing in common, their political stance likely isn't the same.

But perhaps the most telling sign that Parton isn't secretly team MAGA is how she responded when Trump offered her the Medal of Freedom. The Tennessee native not only turned down the award once, but twice. Parton asserted that she didn't accept the award the first time because her husband was sick. On the second occasion, she simply didn't want to risk catching COVID. But it's also possible that she didn't want to associate herself with the Trump administration. However, it's unlikely Parton would ever publicly admit that. Holding her silence on political topics helps maintain unity among her fanbase.