Fox News has immediately ended its employment relationship with host Maria Bartiromo, known for her ties to U.S. President Donald Trump. This decision, made in August 2026, brings an end to over 12 years of collaboration.
The contract termination came after it was revealed that Bartiromo shared an internal message from the network with White House officials. This message contained editorial guidelines and followed Fox’s management decision not to cover certain claims about China and the 2020 elections, which the network deemed conspiratorial. Although Fox News described the decision as a business measure without providing additional details, network executives interpreted the action as a breach of contract.
Maria Bartiromo joined Fox News in 2014 after a lengthy career at CNBC, aiming to boost the audience of Fox Business. Throughout her time at the network, her alignment with former President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement allowed her to secure exclusive interviews and privileged access, although it also generated internal tensions with network management. Her departure marks a significant change in the Fox News lineup, being the most notable since Tucker Carlson’s termination in April 2023.
Donald Trump reacted to the news via his platform Truth Social, describing Bartiromo as “a consummate professional and a true fighter,” and suggesting that her departure would not be well-received by her supporters. Despite speculation on social media about a possible joining of Bartiromo to the White House communications team, no reports have been confirmed regarding this matter.
Bartiromo was a key figure in the spread of allegations of electoral fraud in the 2020 elections, which resulted in a defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems that concluded in April 2023 with a settlement of $787.5 million. Additionally, her name appears in another pending lawsuit against Fox from Smartmatic. Amid these legal battles, the network was forced to issue an on-air apology last June for comments made by a contributor about a data center in Utah.
With Bartiromo’s departure, immediate changes will occur in programming. The program Mornings with Maria will be replaced by Mornings with FOX Business with rotating hosts, while Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street will become FBN’s Wall Street. The Sunday Morning Futures program, formerly hosted by Bartiromo, will be temporarily directed by analyst Jason Chaffetz. Furthermore, executive producer Patrick Ignozzi also ceased working for the network at the same time as the host.
Source: www.infobae.com
