Trump Orders Weeklong Half-Staff Tribute for Dolly Parton

President Donald Trump has ordered U.S. flags to fly at half-staff for one week following the death of Dolly Parton, giving the country music legend a longer tribute than several other prominent figures.

Flags were lowered nationwide at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26, and will remain at half-staff until sunset Tuesday, Sept. 1. Parton died Aug. 25 at age 80.

Trump announced the decision on Truth Social, calling Parton’s death “a true loss for millions of people” and saying, “There has never been anyone like her, and never will.”

The honor is notable because Parton twice declined the Presidential Medal of Freedom during Trump’s first term and also declined it once during President Joe Biden’s administration. She generally avoided publicly discussing her political views, saying in a 2021 interview that she was careful because people could interpret her comments more broadly than she intended.

The length of the tribute also differs from recent honors for other public figures. After Sen. Lindsey Graham died July 11, flags were lowered from July 13 through July 18. Following Pope Francis’ death in April 2025, Trump ordered flags lowered until sunset on the day of his burial, April 26.

After conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed in September 2025, Trump ordered flags to remain at half-staff for four days.

Unlike the tributes for Graham and Pope Francis, the timelines for Kirk and Parton were set by Trump rather than following the same established protocol.