Dolly Parton is a national treasure. Not only is she an award winning singer in her own right, but she also wrote hit songs for artists like Whitney Houston and Miley Cyrus.
On top of that, she is a philanthropist whose large donation to the Vanderbilt Medical Center helped them to develop the Moderna vaccine for COVID-19.
Because of all of this, it's unsurprising that former-President Trump offered her the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, not once, but twice. However, Parton declined both times.
She explained the reason why.
Parton said:
"I couldn't accept it because my husband was ill and then they asked me again about it and I wouldn't travel because of the COVID."
She went on to explain she was afraid if she accepted one from President Biden, it would seem like she was playing politics, saying:
"Now I feel like if I take it, I'll be doing politics, so I'm not sure."
And she closed by explaining:
"But I don't work for those awards. It'd be nice but I'm not sure that I even deserve it. But it's a nice compliment for people to think that I might deserve it."
Regardless of the fact Parton said it was in no way a political statement, many still saw it that way.
Good for you Dolly. https://t.co/NO3Wm6xkhB— Cliff W (@Cliff W) 1612327788.0
I will always love her. #DollyParton turned down presidential medal of freedom twice from Trump https://t.co/wk2b2Civ9t— Spoonie Sister (@Spoonie Sister) 1612328695.0
dolly parton turned down a presidential medal of freedom from trump not once but TWICE i am truly in love with this woman ♥️— crunchy peanut butter stan account (@crunchy peanut butter stan account) 1612305973.0
Others keyed in on the fact Parton said she felt she didn't deserve the award.
"Plus, the eight-time Grammy winner said humbly, “I don’t work for those awards. It’d be nice, but I’m not sure tha… https://t.co/tihh2wW29D— You matter, loves #FreeKurdistan #UBI ✡️🇮🇱❤️ (@You matter, loves #FreeKurdistan #UBI ✡️🇮🇱❤️) 1612314480.0
Beloved. If even Dolly Parton feels this way about her art, you are not alone in feeling similarly. But also she 10… https://t.co/m1grW9Q7Md— Matt Linder (@Matt Linder) 1612280423.0
This article ends: "Parton said she’s not sure she deserves [the Presidential Medal of Freedom]." Let me say unequ… https://t.co/z2CsK5uOqo— Neville Fogarty (@Neville Fogarty) 1612296915.0
Dolly Parton definitely deserves it. https://t.co/o4Gp7FaYsP— Floridian Lefty 😎🌴🏝🐬🐾 (@Floridian Lefty 😎🌴🏝🐬🐾) 1612306334.0
We all bow down to Dolly Parton.