Oprah is 'actively thinking' about a presidential campaign in 2020


Citing two sources in her inner circle, CNN reported Monday that Oprah Winfrey is in fact debating a presidential run in 2020. The network additionally reported that her friends “have been privately urging her to run" and that the television mogul is "actively thinking" about the idea.
CNN's story comes a day after Winfrey gave a powerful speech at Sunday's Golden Globes ceremony, where she was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement. In her remarks, Winfrey expressed admiration for journalists and railed against the scourge of sexual assault, leading to rampant speculation — and some excitement — for her hypothetical candidacy. CNN noted that Winfrey's partner, Stedman Graham, told the Los Angeles Times that Winfrey "would absolutely [run]," though he did caution that "it's up to the people."
Winfrey made her name in Hollywood during her 25 years as the host of The Oprah Winfrey Show, though she's gone on to pursue various other enterprises. Her name-recognition isn't the only thing that could make her a strong candidate; she also has a reported net worth of $2.8 billion, which would be a significant boost for her hypothetical coffers.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
If Winfrey were to run as a Democrat, she would enter what is expected to be a deep field of candidates that may include Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), as well as former Vice President Joe Biden. A poll conducted last March showed Winfrey leading President Trump by seven points in a hypothetical head-to-head presidential election in 2020.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kelly O'Meara Morales is a staff writer at The Week. He graduated from Sarah Lawrence College and studied Middle Eastern history and nonfiction writing amongst other esoteric subjects. When not compulsively checking Twitter, he writes and records music, subsists on tacos, and watches basketball.
-
The best historical fiction of 2025
The Week Recommends Let these compelling tales whisk you away to another century
-
Taz Sarhane's mallard with pine nut sauce and boulangère potatoes
The Week Recommends Bold duck, crispy potatoes and silky pine-nut sauce come together in this earthy yet refined dish
-
Cambodian pork and rice recipe
The Week Recommends This street-food dish is traditionally eaten for breakfast, but makes a delicious dinner, too
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect
-
Chinese AI chatbot's rise slams US tech stocks
Speed Read The sudden popularity of a new AI chatbot from Chinese startup DeepSeek has sent U.S. tech stocks tumbling
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine