Trump On Oprah 2020: She 'Will Be Lots Of Fun'

WASHINGTON, DC — President Trump addressed the frenzy surrounding a rumored Oprah Winfrey bid for the White House on Tuesday, telling reporters, "Oprah will be lots of fun.”

"I did one of her last shows," he said. "I like Oprah."

But he apparently doesn't see her as a real threat: "I'll beat Oprah." He then added,"I don't think she's going to run."

The spectre of an Oprah 2020 ticket arose after she delivered an impassioned speech at the Golden Globes on racism and mistreatment of women. The star quickly became the center of fervent speculation about a potential bid for the American presidency. The prospect has been raised in the press before, but CNN reported that Winfrey is now seriously considering a challenge to President Trump, according to her friends.

In 1999, then considering a run for the White House for the Reform Party, Trump told Larry King that he would like to have Oprah as his vice presidential candidate.

"Oprah. I love Oprah," he said when King asked about a potential VP. "Oprah would always be my first choice."

He continued: "She's really a great woman. She's a terrific woman. She's someone that's very special."

In a surprising move, Ivanka Trump, the president's eldest daughter, tweeted out support for Winfrey's speculation-inducing speech. Given the widespread assumption that Winfrey — a former supporter of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton — would run as a Democrat against her father, some in the commentariat expressed disbelief at her full-throated endorsement. Ivanka Trump also echoed Winfrey's "time's up" comment from the speech in reference to male sexual abusers. This again inspired disbelief, given that many interpreted the call out to apply to none less than the president himself.

• SEE ALSO: Oprah For President: 5 Things People Are Saying About The Idea

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