When Donald Trump added his name to the many public figures and celebrities paying heartfelt tributes to Dolly Parton, everyone feared the worst.
Thankfully, Trump ordered flags to be lowered at half-mast to honour the beloved artist, and wrote on Truth Social: “This is a true loss for millions of people. There has never been anyone like her, and never will. In her honor, I am lowering the American flag throughout the United States for a one week period beginning tonight at 6:00PM. Rest in Peace, Dolly! The world loves you.”
This tribute was initially met with applause, with even Trump’s harshest critics commending him for the gesture.
However, it didn’t take long for certain fans to point out that Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – a literacy initiative which has gifted more than 330 million books to children since 1995, and one of Parton’s many philanthropic causes – has been defunded by the Trump administration.
This led many fans to call out Trump for being a hypocrite, and matters weren’t helped when he phoned The Glenn Beck Progam this week and claimed that Parton “really liked” him.
People further slammed Trump and pointed out that Parton stood for everything Trump doesn’t: tolerance, respect and bringing people together.
Now, in one of his latest AI slop posts, Trump took to Truth Social to share an illustration of him arm in arm with Parton walking around the White House.
This was another step too far for those who admire Parton, with many taking to social media to condemn Trump and his AI-generated post.
“Trump felt Dolly Parton was getting too much attention,” wrote one account, while another commented: “This picture is vile. Dolly Parton never appeared in pictures with him, nor do I think she would ever agree to. To place her in a picture on his arm is like taking the most beautiful soul imaginable, and throwing a disgusting bucket full of foul trump on her.”
The post continued: “Dolly Parton was kind, generous, and famously a friend of the LGBTQ community — she was the exact opposite of trump in every way possible. “I know them, and love them all, and I do not judge,” is what she said about trans people. trump spreads LIES about trans people, saying schools are secretly transitioning children against their parents’ wishes. She wasn’t obsessed with putting her name on things, but she DID leave a legacy of literacy behind, as her Imagination Library delivered 300,000,000 free books to children, from birth to age 5. trump, meanwhile, has his ICE goons arrest and deport 5 years olds like little Liam Tadeo. He will never, EVER, possess even a tiny fraction of the grace, love, and virtue Dolly had in her pinky.”
The post has gone viral, with many adding that Trump’s AI image was “heartless and brainless” and that Parton refused to be in the same room as Trump.
Check out some of the reactions below:
Dolly Parton kept out of party politics. “I don’t do politics. I have too many fans on both sides of the fence,” she once said. However, she did reject Trump’s Presidential Medal of Freedom twice during his first term.
Parton’s sister Stella – who recently revealed that Parton offered to undergo experimental cancer treatment to help others – has made her feelings very clear about Trump.
In the days leading up to the country music legend’s death, she posted: “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.”
The post, which was taken offline following the death of her sister but screenshot by Raw Story, added: “Many of us are disgusted and feel threatened by his actions and his cabinet, Republican sycophants and the majority of the SCOTUS.”
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library was inspired by her father’s inability to read or write. The programme sends one free book every month to children from birth to five – regardless of family income – in the US, Canada, UK, Australia and Ireland.
The Imagination Library has vowed to continue the singer’s work, saying her vision was always to build something that would “last for generations”.
In a statement, the organisation said: “The world grieves with us today. And yet we find ourselves just as certain about what comes next. For decades, Dolly & the team at The Dollywood Foundation – home of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – worked to build something that would last for generations. So it will. The work ahead has never felt more meaningful, and we will carry it forward as she lifts us all up. Dolly, we will always love you.”
Parton’s family has requested that donations may be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at imaginationlibrary.com.