Fox News ousts longtime anchor and Trump ally Maria Bartiromo
Fox News has parted ways with longtime anchor Maria Bartiromo, an ally of President Donald Trump. The network announced her departure was "effective today", preventing her from signing off on her own terms.
The Fox News leadership team decided to remove Bartiromo in August, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. The source told CNN the immediate impetus for the removal was Bartiromo's disclosure of confidential information to the Trump White House.
The disclosure dates back to mid-July, following a prime time speech by Trump regarding the election system and claims involving China and the 2020 election. According to media publications Status and Puck, Bartiromo wanted to discuss Trump's claims on air, but a Fox executive directed the network not to cover the conspiracy theories. The source confirmed that Bartiromo reportedly sent a text message containing this network guidance to White House officials. Fox management deemed this a violation of her employment agreement.
Personnel changes and programme replacements
Bartiromo's last day on air was 9 August, when she anchored "Sunday Morning Futures" on Fox News. Patrick Ignozzi, the executive producer of "Mornings with Maria", was also ousted at the same time as Bartiromo, according to the source.
The network is implementing the following changes to its programming:
Legal and professional background
Bartiromo's tenure at Fox was marked by her promotion of claims regarding the 2020 presidential election. These claims led to a $787.5 million settlement between Fox and the voting machine company Dominion in April 2023. Bartiromo is also named extensively in an ongoing lawsuit from Smartmatic. Additionally, in June, Bartiromo was among several hosts who read an on-air apology following claims made by guest Kevin O'Leary regarding Utah data centres; the network and O'Leary are currently facing a defamation lawsuit related to those comments.
A Fox spokesperson described the departure as a "business decision". In an official statement, the network said:
We thank Maria for her work over the last 12 ½ years and wish her all the best on her next chapter.
President Trump responded to the news on Truth Social, writing:
I can't believe Maria Bartiromo is no longer going to have her great show(s) on FoxNews/Business. Maria is a total professional, and a true warrior. Her fans, of which there are many, will not be happy. God bless you, Maria!