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FNF News | Culture & Politics
Published: June 20, 2025
By: Khadija Khan, Senior Culture & Media Correspondent
Oprah Winfrey Announces She’s Leaving the U.S.: “I Can’t Live Here for the Next Four Years”
Los Angeles, CA — In a stunning and polarizing declaration, media mogul Oprah Winfrey announced on Thursday that she is leaving the United States indefinitely, citing the current political climate under the Trump administration as “untenable.”
“I can’t live here for the next four years,” Oprah said during a segment of her limited-run podcast taped in Geneva, Switzerland. “Not like this. Not with this level of fear, division, and regression. I’ll return when the country realigns with its better angels — and when Democrats are in charge again.”
The statement quickly ignited fierce debate online and across media outlets, with supporters praising her moral stance and critics accusing her of abandoning the country she once claimed to uplift.
From National Treasure to Political Exile
Oprah, who rose from poverty in Mississippi to become one of the most influential cultural figures in modern American history, has rarely held back her political views. She endorsed Barack Obama in 2008, publicly campaigned for Hillary Clinton in 2016, and was considered a potential Democratic presidential contender in 2020 — though she later ruled it out.
But her latest comments go further than political commentary. They mark the first time Oprah has declared self-imposed exile, joining a small but vocal class of celebrities who’ve threatened or enacted emigration in protest of Donald Trump’s political comeback.
A Political Landscape Oprah Says She No Longer Recognizes
Speaking emotionally during the podcast, Oprah cited multiple concerns:
- Rollbacks of civil rights protections, especially related to education and reproductive access.
- The surge in book bans targeting authors of color and LGBTQ+ themes.
- An atmosphere she described as “eerily regressive, where progress is no longer welcome.”
“It’s like living through a cultural Cold War,” she said. “I don’t recognize this America — not the one I believed in, not the one I worked for.”
Sources close to Winfrey say she is relocating to South Africa, where she maintains a residence and oversees the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls.
Conservative Reaction: “She’s Free to Leave”
Conservative media and commentators wasted no time reacting:
- Fox News ran a segment titled “Hollywood Elite Turns Her Back on America”.
- Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) tweeted, “Oprah got rich in America, now she’s running because democracy didn’t go her way.”
- Influencer Candace Owens posted, “America doesn’t need another fake martyr. Bye, Oprah.”
Others pointed out the irony that Winfrey, a billionaire who flourished in free-market capitalism, is leaving a country she once called “the greatest land of opportunity.”
Progressive Voices: “A Bold and Painful Choice”
Progressives and liberal activists, on the other hand, praised Oprah’s stance as a principled protest against authoritarian drift.
“Oprah has nothing to prove. She has given her life to lifting others,” said Angela Rye, political strategist and CNN commentator. “Her leaving should wake people up to how dangerous this moment really is.”
Several Democratic officials, while not encouraging emigration, called her decision “a mirror to our crisis.”
Implications for the 2026 Midterms?
Some political analysts worry that Oprah’s move could demoralize Democratic voters, especially Black women, a demographic critical to any national progressive victory. Others believe her exit could become a lightning rod issue, mobilizing both sides.
“She’s a symbol — and symbols are powerful in politics,” said Julian Castro, former HUD Secretary. “Her departure will dominate the next two news cycles at minimum, and could shape the cultural narrative into 2026.”
Oprah’s Final Message
Before signing off her podcast episode, Oprah delivered a pointed farewell:
“To those staying behind — don’t stop fighting. I’m not running from America. I’m stepping back so I can breathe. Sometimes, you have to leave home to find your voice again.”
She closed the episode with a Maya Angelou quote: “I come as one, but I stand as ten thousand.”
Whether Oprah’s departure is temporary or permanent remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: her voice, even in absence, still echoes through America’s cultural divide.