President Donald Trump announced that in honor of country music star Dolly Parton, who died at 80 years old, he was ordering that the American flag be lowered around the country for one week.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described Parton as “one of the greatest Country singers,” adding that her death was “a true loss for millions of people.” Parton was known for songs such as, “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You.”
“Very sad to report that Dolly Parton, one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER, has just passed away,” Trump said. “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.”
Trump’s post comes after Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, shared in a video message to X, that his aunt had died.
“Hey everyone, my name is Bryan Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I am representing the Parton and Owens family today, announcing the passing of my aunt Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean,” Seaver said in the video. “Sister, sis, Aunt Granny to one generation, and Gigi to the next.”
Seaver continued to praise Parton for having “opened doors” not only for him and her family, but opening “doors for generations of singers, songwriters, and musicians and dreamers from ever walk of life.”
“Dolly opened doors, not just for me, but for her entire family to reach the potential we didn’t even know was possible. Dolly also opened doors for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians and dreamers from every walk of life, and across every continent. By her example, we believed that anything was possible,” Seaver said. “She never saw a door she couldn’t open, and the doors she opened, made and changed history.”
The announcement of Parton’s death comes after she told PEOPLE in a statement on August 21, that she was “dealing with some health issues” that she “didn’t pay attention to” when she was watching over her husband, Carl, who died in March 2025 at the age of 82.
“As I’ve shared in video messages throughout the past year, I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” Parton explained to the outlet. “You know, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to manage something like this. Back in the early ’80s, I was down for several months with female issues, and I was struggling with my weight at the time too, so it’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health.”
Parton also expressed that “because we live in a 24/7 world with social media, everything gets magnified in ways it wasn’t years ago.”
“Seriously, though, even though I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’! You know me — as I’ve often said — I’ve dreamed myself into a corner and I still have so many things I want to achieve, so I’m gonna keep working as long as I can to see everything come to life,” Parton added.
In May, Parton issued a health update to her fans, and shared that she would “not go forward with a Las Vegas residency she had already delayed ten months.”
“I have some good news, and a little bad news,” Parton said in an Instagram post at the time. “The good news is, I’m responding really well to meds and treatments, and I’m improving every day.” Parton added, “the bad news is, it’s going to take me a little while before I’m up to stage performance level, because some of the meds and treatments make me a little bit swimmy headed.”
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