Dr. Oz just learned that flattery can backfire — especially when you’re praising Donald Trump with references to a book he didn’t actually write and likely never read.
But the real heat from the doc’s latest misstep landed squarely on Oprah Winfrey’s doorstep.
The former TV personality turned government official found himself in hot water after a Friday press conference at the Oval Office, where Trump unveiled TrumpRX.gov, a direct-to-consumer pharmacy initiative aimed at reducing prescription costs.
Oz, now administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, used the opportunity to shower the president with praise that had social media users cringing.
He lauded Trump for “bringing peace into the hearts of Americans” and delivering “peace of mind” to those struggling to afford medications. Then came the line that set the internet ablaze: Oz credited Trump with “turning the art of the deal into the art of the heal,” referencing the 1987 bestseller ostensibly penned by Trump.
The moment clips hit Threads, the backlash was swift and pointed — but it wasn’t just aimed at Oz. Frustrated commenters quickly turned their anger toward Oprah Winfrey, the media mogul who transformed him from a cardiovascular surgeon into a household name.
One person snapped, “F—k Dr Oz and Oprah too at that.” A second wondered, “How do you go from a respected cardiologist to a hack?”
A few called Oz “a suck up” while others blasted Winfrey for bringing Oz and other controversial figures to the forefront.
“Oprah owes us an apology for him and a few other people,” one person wrote.
Another added, “Him and Dr. Phil. They used her for a come up. Now that they’ve come up we see how messed up they really are.”
“How did Oprah’s stars turn so badly? Oz, Phil…drank koolaid,” said one person.
The criticism underscored growing frustration with Oprah’s role in launching careers that eventually aligned with Trump’s administration.
For years, their relationship appeared mutually beneficial — she elevated his profile while he provided health advice to her massive audience.
Oz was one of Winfrey’s biggest TV success stories — and, in hindsight, now one of her most controversial. She introduced “America’s Doctor” to daytime audiences in the early 2000s, helping launch The Dr. Oz Show under her production company. He previously served as the director of the Cardiovascular Institute at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
After years of standing by him, Winfrey seemed to quietly back off once the medical community started calling Oz out for pushing so-called miracle cures that didn’t exactly hold up under a microscope. By 2014, a group of physicians even urged Columbia University to cut ties with Oz, accusing him of promoting “quack” treatments on TV.
But when he announced his Republican Senate campaign in Pennsylvania, the dynamic shifted. Initially, Oprah maintained diplomatic silence, with a spokesperson stating that Pennsylvania residents would decide their representative. Eventually, she went further, publicly endorsing Oz’s opponent John Fetterman in November 2022.
“If I lived in Pennsylvania, I would have already cast my vote for John Fetterman, for many reasons,” Winfrey said in a statement, according to the Washington Post.
The endorsement marked a clear break from her former protégé.
Yet the Oz situation represents only part of the frustration directed at Oprah.
Dr. Phil McGraw, another personality she introduced to mainstream America, has also drawn criticism for his Trump rally appearance, where he defended the former president and spoke against diversity initiatives.
McGraw built his television empire after Oprah brought him onto her show following his work on her cattle industry defamation case.
His transformation from self-help psychologist to Trump supporter has left many viewers feeling betrayed by Oprah’s initial endorsement of both men. The parallels between Oz and Dr. Phil have intensified calls for Oprah to acknowledge her role in their rise to prominence.
However, not everyone believes Oprah deserves blame for the political paths her former protégés have taken.
“Oprah is not their mama, manager, or moral compass. These are grown men making their own choices. Accountability belongs to the people who did wrong not to a woman who simply gave them opportunities. Stop deflecting and start holding the right folks responsible,” one person added.
This perspective highlights the tension between Oprah’s undeniable influence in launching their careers and the personal agency both men exercised in choosing their political alignments years later.
While Oprah publicly distanced herself from Oz during his Senate campaign, she has remained silent on Dr. Phil’s controversial appearances and statements.
That silence has only fueled speculation about whether she regrets the platforms she provided or feels any responsibility for how they’ve used their fame.
One person corrected Oz’s remarks, saying, “Art of the Steal, dumba–s.”
Oz continues in his administration role, having previously served on Trump’s President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. He has largely avoided challenging questionable health claims from the administration.
