Oprah Winfrey is facing a tidal wave of backlash after explosive claims surfaced alleging she refused to open her private road in Hawaii during a tsunami evacuation. The controversial news ignited following an 8.8 earthquake near Russia. The earthquake triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific, leaving residents and tourists scrambling to reach higher ground.
As panic set in across Hawaii, social media was flooded with posts showing islanders trapped in gridlocked traffic. Among the most shocking allegations? Oprah’s private access road remained closed to the public, effectively cutting off a critical shortcut for families fleeing the potential disaster.
A viral TikTok video claimed police briefly opened the gate to Oprah’s $60 million estate, allowing a small group through before shutting it down again. According to Radar Online, outraged commenters were quick to call out the billionaire. They are accusing her of turning her back on the community when it mattered most.
The reaction was swift and brutal. Social media lit up with furious posts slamming the media mogul for her perceived inaction. Critics branded her a “selfish elite.” They are pointing to what they say is a pattern of hypocrisy, preaching empathy and generosity, while allegedly barricading escape routes during a crisis.
“In an evacuation, ALL roads should be open… public, private, it should be mandatory,” one angry commenter declared, “Shame on Oprah.”
Some users went even further. They are calling for Oprah’s Hawaii property to be seized and demanding she be removed from the island entirely. One person summed up the mood with a fiery post claiming Oprah always “makes the wrong decision” when the community needs her.
Oprah Winfrey’s Team Fires Back
After hours of online fury, a spokesperson for Oprah issued a statement denying the road closure reports. They insisted that as soon as tsunami warnings hit, Oprah’s team reached out to local law enforcement and FEMA to ensure access was granted. The statement claimed police were already on-site. They are helping residents through the road, 50 cars at a time, to maintain order and safety.
But by the time the clarification came, the damage was already done. The backlash had reached a boiling point, and the court of public opinion wasn’t buying the polished PR.
Whether the road was closed or not, Oprah’s image just took another hit. And in Hawaii, people aren’t quick to forgive. With her long history of clashing with locals and past wildfire backlash still fresh. This latest storm is only fueling the narrative that when things get rough. The island’s most powerful resident seems to vanish behind her gates.
Sabrina Russell 
Nina Franklin 
Sofia Bassett 
