Dolly Parton passes away at 80; Trump orders US flags to half-staff

Country music legend Dolly Parton has passed away at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer. In response to her death, President Donald Trump has ordered flags across the United States to be flown at half-staff for one week, including at the White House, federal agencies, military bases, and diplomatic missions abroad, until sunset on September 1.

Parton was a globally recognized icon known for hits such as ‘Jolene’ and ‘I Will Always Love You,’ having sold over 100 million records. Beyond her music, she was a major philanthropist, notably through her Imagination Library literacy program and her million-dollar donation toward Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine research.

While the President described her passing as a ‘true loss for millions of people,’ some fans have expressed criticism regarding the political alignment of the administration in relation to her social and literacy initiatives.