Where Dolly Parton stood on Donald Trump... and Hillary Clinton

Dolly Parton spent her career trying to avoid Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. 

Parton, the legendary queen of country music, died Tuesday at the age of 80, leaving behind a towering musical legacy and legions of grieving fans.

Despite her cultural influence, Parton tried to stay out of politics and mask her opinions on the most controversial issues of the day.

She insisted during the 2016 election that she had endorsed neither Trump nor Clinton after her remarks describing the Democratic nominee's qualifications were mistaken for an endorsement.

Parton again refused to publicly choose a side in 2020 when Joe Biden faced Trump and stayed out of the 2024 contest between Kamala Harris and the Republican.

Parton explained in a 2023 interview why she had spent decades steering clear of politics: 'Because you're going to lose half your audience.'

She said the bitter divide between Trump and Biden had even made family dinners difficult. 'Especially if people are drinking – they get in a damn fight at the table,' she told The Guardian.

Trump offered Parton the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice during his first term, but she declined because of her husband's illness and later because of concerns surrounding COVID and travel.

When Biden was considering giving her the medal, Parton said she wasn't sure she'd accept because taking it could look political. She ultimately declined it as well.

The last time Parton appeared comfortable stepping foot inside the political realm was back in 2005 when George W. Bush presented her with the National Medal of the Arts. She was hosted at the White House the following year by Bush and First Lady Laura Bush as a Kennedy Center honoree.