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President Donald Trump mourns Aretha Franklin’s passing

FILE - In this Jan. 19, 1993 file photo, singer Aretha Franklin performs at the inaugural gala for President Bill Clinton in Washington. Franklin died Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018 at her home in Detroit. She was 76. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File)

Credit: Amy Sancetta

Credit: Amy Sancetta

FILE - In this Jan. 19, 1993 file photo, singer Aretha Franklin performs at the inaugural gala for President Bill Clinton in Washington. Franklin died Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018 at her home in Detroit. She was 76. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File)
By Jill Vejnoska
Aug 16, 2018

Turns out there’s something everyone in this big, divided country of ours can agree on:

R-E-S-P-E-C-T for Aretha Franklin.

President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Thursday to mourn the music icon’s passing.

Trump didn't mention if he'd ever seen a live performance by Franklin who died earlier Thursday at the age of 76 in her longtime home of Detroit. But in a way, she was the preferred singer of presidents, having performed at the inaugural festivities of three of Trump's predecessors -- and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from a fourth.

Former President Barack Obama also tweeted his condolences, including a photo of Franklin singing “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” at his first inauguration in January 2009.

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Jill Vejnoska
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