By Paul Joseph
US President Donald Trump has ordered American flags to be flown at half-staff for one week in honour of country music icon Dolly Parton, following her death at the age of 80.
The White House said the directive, issued on Tuesday, August 25, will remain in effect until sunset on September 1, 2026. It covers the White House, public buildings and grounds, military posts and naval stations, as well as US diplomatic and military facilities abroad.
Trump announced the tribute shortly after news of Parton’s death emerged, praising the singer as one of the greatest country music figures and describing her passing as a major loss to millions of people.
“There has never been anyone like her, and never will,” Trump said while announcing the flag-lowering order.
Parton, who died on Tuesday, was one of the most celebrated figures in American entertainment, with a career spanning music, film, business and philanthropy. Her best-known songs include “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You.”
Beyond her music, Parton was widely recognised for her philanthropic work, including the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which promotes childhood literacy.
Trump’s decision places Parton among a select group of prominent private citizens whose deaths have been marked by presidential orders lowering the US flag, underscoring the scale of her cultural impact.
The nationwide tribute is expected to continue through September 1 as Americans mourn a performer whose influence extended well beyond country music and across generations.
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