According to The Hollywood Reporter, Oprah Winfrey disproves a claim that outgoing Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) makes in the most recent biography he's written about himself.

Contrary to what is stated in a recently published book, a spokesman for Winfrey has stated to The Hollywood Reporter that Winfrey has never entertained the idea of running for president in 2020 and has never requested Romney to join her ticket.

Oprah Winfrey Disputes Mitt Romney's Claim that She Asked to Join Him on a Unity Presidential Ticket https://t.co/K48ZdaKwCI

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) October 17, 2023

Comments From Winfrey's Camp

“In November 2019, Ms. Winfrey called Senator Romney to encourage him to run on an Independent ticket,” the spokesperson says. “She was not calling to be part of the ticket and was never considering running herself.”

In the soon-to-be-released book Romney: A Reckoning, written by the seasoned political journalist McKay Coppins, Utah Republican Mitt Romney recalls receiving a call from the media mogul, who is a Democrat.

The former television icon claimed that Romney said they should form a unity ticket "to save the country." Romney was in the process of running for president at the time.

Axios first reported on the excerpt from the book Monday.

Winfrey is no stranger to politics, of course. She is a close friend of Barack and Michelle Obama and not only endorsed the former president but has interviewed each of them a number of times, including in a special for Netflix earlier this year.

Winfrey's Impact on Other Candidates

Winfrey also weighed in on the Pennsylvania Senate race in 2020, endorsing John Fetterman over his opponent, Dr. Mehmet Oz.

Oz is connected to Winfrey due to her assistance in helping make a household name, thanks to frequent appearances on her daytime talk show.

The iconic television doctor subsequently launched his own program and later a Senate campaign, which he eventually lost to Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who went on to win the open seat for Pennsylvania.

And while Winfrey has been rumored to have considered a run for office in the past, Romney’s claim made news because it suggested that her desire was more serious than previously thought.

The new statement seems to pour cold water on that idea.

According to a source familiar with Winfrey's reasoning, she never seriously considered running for office, despite the opinion of those who were close to her. Romney, who campaigned for president alongside Paul Ryan on the 2012 Republican ticket, announced last month that he will not seek reelection to the Senate in 2014.