Oprah Winfrey has said she would only run for US president in 2020 if God made it absolutely clear that she should.
The US TV icon recieved numerous backers for a presidential run after a widely-applauded speech she made at January's Golden Globes, where she addressed racial and gender inequality and declared that 'a new day is dawning'.
Winfrey, 64, told People Magazine that she did consider the move. 'I had people – wealthy, billionaires – calling me up and saying, "I can get you a billion dollars. I can run your campaign," she said. 'That many people saying something made me think, "Am I at least supposed to look at the question?"'
The media mogul and philanthropist, regarded by many as a spiritual leader too, said she 'went into prayer' over the decision.
'God, if you think I'm supposed to run, you gotta tell me, and it has to be so clear that not even I can miss it.' And I haven't gotten that,' she said.
The rural Mississippi-born Winfrey received a Baptist upbringing. In 2016 she said: 'I grew up in the church...I grew up believing that God was my father and Jesus was my brother, which meant I could do anything in life.'
She added: 'In life you cannot trust yourself only. There must be some higher force you trust in, be it God, the community or an organisation, because you cannot be successful on your own.'
On Sunday President Trump described Oprah, who has previously aligned with the Democratic party, as 'very insecure'. He tweeted: 'Hope Oprah runs so she can be exposed and defeated just like all of the others!'
Winfrey last week told Jimmy Kimmel Live that she 'definitely' wouldn't be running against Trump in 2020.
She said: 'I am the kind of person who tries to listen to signs. I think, well am I supposed to run the country? I don't think so.'
Additional reporting by Reuters
