Dolly Parton Reportedly Declined the Presidential Medal of Freedom—Twice

Dolly Parton Reportedly Declined the Presidential Medal of Freedom—Twice

By Movieguide® Staff

Country music and cultural icon Dolly Parton revealed that former President Donald Trump’s administration offered her the Presidential Medal of Freedom on two separate occasions, according to Fox News.

Parton, 75, said she turned down the offers, once for the sake of her husband’s health and again due to COVID-19.

“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,” Parton said in an interview on TODAY WITH HODA & JENNA.

The award is the highest civilian honor in the U.S.

Along with her music, which has successfully spanned several decades, Parton has also earned nine Grammy awards. Besides her role in music, Parton also stood up to the challenge of 2020.

Parton shared that she made a $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. Seven months later, Moderna announced a coronavirus vaccine—which they claimed is 95% effective.

Many of Parton’s fans thanked her for her contribution in the efforts to end COVID-19. Fox reported that Biden echoed the offer of the previous administration.

“Now I feel like if I take it, I’ll be doing politics, so I’m not sure. But I don’t work for those awards,” Parton said. “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.”