Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Dolly Parton 'turned down' Presidential Medal of Freedom twice

Dolly Parton 'turned down' Presidential Medal of Freedom twice

Dolly Parton has revealed she turned down the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the Trump administration twice.

The country singer said she did not accept the awards because her husband was ill and then she would not travel due to the pandemic.

Parton is unsure if she would accept one from President Joe Biden as it could be seen as a political move.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award in the US and has numerous categories.

Previous recipients include Bruce Springsteen, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and Bill and Melinda Gates.

Speaking to NBC's Today programme, Parton said: "I got offered the freedom award from the Trump administration. I couldn't accept it because my husband was ill. Then they asked me again about it and I wouldn't travel because of Covid".

She said she had already heard from the Biden administration: "Now I feel like if I take it, it'll be doing politics, so I'm not so sure."

The singer added that she does not feel like she deserves the award. "But it's a nice compliment for people to think I might deserve it," she added.

Presidential Medal of Freedom


*  The highest civilian award of the United States

*  Established in 1963 by President John F Kennedy, superseding the Medal of Freedom

*  Citation: "An especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavours"

*  Major categories of recipients: politics; business; military; music; film; journalism

Aside from her musical works, Parton has a history of philanthropy that stretches back several decades. She has supported child literacy initiatives through her Dollywood Foundation and has also given to and raised money for wildlife and HIV/Aids charities.

She donated $1m (£732,665) last year to research into Covid vaccines at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. It was one of the trial sites for the Moderna vaccine, which has since been approved for use in a number of countries including the UK and the US.

Last year, former President Barack Obama was asked by Stephen Colbert why the country singer did not have the award already.

"I think I assumed that she'd already got one and that was incorrect. I'm surprised, she deserves one," Mr Obama said, adding that he would call Mr Biden about the issue.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×