Dolly Parton\u2019s death on Aug. 25 sent millions of fans around the world into mourning, with tributes honoring not only the unmistakable voice behind hits like \u201cJolene\u201d and \u201c9 to 5,\u201d but also a woman whose generosity and humanitarian efforts reached far beyond country music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 80-year-old singer died following a brief battle with cancer, leaving behind a legacy that she carefully built over more than six decades. Throughout her career, Parton avoided becoming a symbol for either side of America\u2019s political divide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Donald Trump, however, soon found a way to insert himself into the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During an appearance on The Glenn Beck Program<\/em> following Parton\u2019s death, the president spoke about her passing, saying, \u201cshe was a great person, a nice person; I liked her a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe was unique, I mean, she was amazing. To lose her is like you lose a member of the family,\u201d Trump said, according to The Daily Beast<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe all knew her so well. I knew her a little bit. She wasn\u2019t a very political person\u2026she really liked me, I will tell you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trump was right about one thing: Parton made a conscious effort to stay away from partisan politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That included turning down the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice from Trump during his first administration and once from Joe Biden. She previously explained to Today<\/em> that accepting the honor from the 46th president after declining Trump\u2019s offer could make it look as though she was \u201cdoing politics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was a careful balance Parton had discussed years earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t like to get involved in politics, because first of all, I have as many Republican fans as I do Democrats,\u201d Parton said during a 2020 interview with USA Today<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to offend anybody; I have a right to myself. Like God gave us free will, America gave us free speech, but you\u2019ve got to be responsible for anything you say and do,\u201d she told the outlet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Dolly largely kept her personal political views separate from her public image, her younger sister Stella Parton was far more outspoken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just days before Dolly\u2019s death, 77-year-old Stella reportedly criticized Trump in a social media post that has since been deleted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs 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,\u201d Stella wrote in the now-deleted post, according to Raw Story<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, on Aug. 20, she took her criticism even further in a post on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have a pimple in the White House and the pus in Congress do nothing beneficial for the citizens of this country!\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cStrutting around with his female assistant carrying his diaper bag and soothing his every desire is gross and pathetic! He is an illegitimate President! The entire administration is a freak show every day!\u201d Stella, 77, continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The \u201cdiaper bag\u201d comment was a reference to Trump\u2019s ever-present female assistant, whom one X user mocked in June 2026 for allegedly \u201ccarrying around a diaper bag full of depends\u201d for the president.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just days later, Dolly was gone, making Stella\u2019s earlier remarks seem especially timely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As fans continued to mourn Parton\u2019s death, Trump\u2019s Truth Social account shared an apparent AI-generated image showing the president locking arms with the late singer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The post quickly brought renewed attention to Natalie Harp, the fiercely loyal White House aide who has become deeply involved in Trump\u2019s communications and social media operation and is frequently photographed alongside the president.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harp earned the nickname \u201chuman printer\u201d after reportedly traveling with Trump during his 2024 campaign with a portable printer, providing him with printed copies of news articles and social media posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her responsibilities have since expanded. The Washington Post<\/em> reported that she \u201croutinely posts for the president\u201d on his Truth Social account and remains a constant presence during presidential travel and other public movements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harp\u2019s involvement in Trump\u2019s social media operation quickly became part of the backlash surrounding the post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCreepy, yes. Even creepier when you consider that Natalie Harp found this on the internet, printed it out, showed it to him, he approved it for posting, then she posted it. And that\u2019s what we are paying her to do all day,\u201d one critic wrote on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The post quickly attracted more reactions, with Harp becoming a target of the criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s AI. Of course. Natalie must have made it for him. Always fake stuff with this guy,\u201d one user wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another added, \u201cTrump and his psychopathic \u2018assistant\u2019 both belong in a mental hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nDolly Stayed Out of Politics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Illegitimate President\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Human Printer\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Creepy\u2019 AI Post<\/h2>\n\n\n\n