Winfrey has assured fans that she opened up her private road in Hawaii "as soon as" she heard the tsunami warnings.

Even as the threat of a tsunami swamping Hawaii had passed on Wednesday, social media posts were still circulating claims that Oprah Winfrey had refused immediate access to a private road that would allow residents a shorter evacuation route.

"Oprah Winfrey's road" in Maui became a viral trend on X as Hawaiians rushed to safety amid a tsunami warning. People alleged in viral videos that Winfrey was refusing to open her gated road for people trying to escape to safety.