Celebrity4 min(s) read
JK Rowling has delivered a furious response to a critic who tried to link Dolly Parton to Donald Trump following the country icon's death.
Parton died at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer, with her publicist Marcel Pariseau confirming she passed away at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, surrounded by loved ones.
Her nephew Bryan Seaver announced her death in an Instagram video, saying the moment came with a mixture of pride and sadness and that his aunt was now "in the arms of Jesus".
Tributes quickly poured in for the music icon, with stars including Jane Fonda, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, and Billy Joel remembering the singer and songwriter.
Rowling also paid tribute, singling out the 'Jolene' songstress' outstanding contribution to children's literacy.
The Harry Potter author described Parton's Imagination Library as "the best contribution to child literacy ever made by a celebrity" and called the singer "a complete, irreplaceable one-off".
But when another X user responded by attempting to associate Parton with Trump, Rowling made her feelings clear.
"Oh, do f*** off. At a conservative estimate, Dolly Parton was 100,000x the person you are," she replied.
The '9-5' singer spent decades avoiding party politics.
Throughout her six-decade career, Parton declined to endorse political candidates. She maintained that she had supporters across the political spectrum and preferred bringing people together rather than dividing them.
In 2016, she clarified that comments she had made about the prospect of a woman becoming president had been taken out of context and that she had endorsed neither Hillary Clinton nor Trump.
She later explained that she did not "do politics" and was wary of alienating part of her audience.
Parton said in 2020: "I am not political, and I refuse to get caught up in political things. I don’t like to get involved in politics, because first of all, I have as many Republican fans as I do Democrats."
She also twice declined the Presidential Medal of Freedom when it was offered by the Trump administration.
The first time, her husband, Carl Dean, was ill. The second came during the Covid pandemic, when Parton did not want to travel.
She later expressed concerns that accepting the honor from any president could be interpreted as taking a political side.
The 80-year-old president was among those who paid tribute following her death, ordering American flags to be lowered for a week.
"Very sad to report that Dolly Parton, one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER, has just passed away. This is a true loss for millions of people," he wrote on Truth Social.
"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. President DONALD J. TRUMP," he added.
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Parton never publicly revealed her cancer diagnosis. Instead, she spoke about her overall health problems in the months before her death.
She postponed a Las Vegas residency in September 2025 due to "some health challenges" and canceled further performances in May 2026 as her health remained fragile.
Just days before her death, she told fans she had been going through "hard times with my health", citing immune and digestive problems, dizziness, and dehydration. Her family later confirmed cancer as the cause of death without revealing the type.
Following her death, Parton's sister Stella, 77, revealed that the singer had even offered to undergo experimental treatments if doctors could no longer save her.
"What the world saw is exactly who she was, so much so, she told me recently that if there was no hope for her, she would still allow her medical team to try experimental drugs in the hope of helping others in the future."
Stella added: "My sister was one of the most generous, thoughtful and kind people I've ever known."
She urged others to continue that legacy, saying: "My sister was always thinking of others, and if you want to honor her legacy, show more kindness, lift others, and give more of your time and resources as she continued to do to the very end."
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