Fox News announced that Maria Bartiromo is no longer with the network on Thursday afternoon. The network thanked her for over 12 years of work but gave no specific reason for the split. President Donald Trump immediately voiced his shock on Truth Social regarding the news.
Trump highlighted her success by noting she hosted three different shows that were always number one. He called her a total professional and a true warrior in his post. He added that her many fans will not be happy with this change. They wished her the best on her next chapter without elaborating further.
Reports indicate the exit followed a dispute over a story about China and the 2020 election. Dylan Byers of Puck News reported that Bartiromo wanted to air claims of election meddling by China. A Fox Business executive reportedly texted producers to block the story from airing. Bartiromo screenshotted that message and sent it directly to senior White House officials.
NEW: The Maria Bartiromo backstory, per multiple sources familiar….
Maria Bartiromo wanted to pursue a story related to China and 2020 election voting conspiracies… a major sensitivity for the network given its Dominion and Smartmatic lawsuits.
A Fox Business executive sent…
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) September 3, 2026
Following a call from the White House, Fox leadership discovered this leak. The Daily Caller reported that Fox viewed the sharing of internal texts as a fireable offense. Bartiromo was pulled from the air on August 9 but the public announcement came weeks later. She has since hired entertainment lawyer Bryan Freedman to handle her side of the situation.
The network faces serious legal risks regarding election-related content. Dylan Byers noted that election integrity stories are a major sensitivity for the network. This sensitivity stems from costly lawsuits filed by Dominion and Smartmatic. Fox settled with Dominion for $787 million in 2023 over claims of rigged voting machines. Smartmatic filed a defamation suit seeking billions, though they cut their claim to $370 million.
Fox Business is already moving to fill the empty time slots left by Bartiromo. Her daily show will now be called Mornings with Fox Business and use rotating anchors. The weekly segment will shift to FBN’s Wall Street hosted by Cheryl Casone this week. Jason Chaffetz is set to take over the Sunday episode of her long-running show.
Bartiromo joined the network in early 2014 after leaving her job at CNBC. Throughout his terms, numerous Cabinet secretaries under President Trump frequently appeared on her shows. The network had frequently touted her programs as ratings winners before this sudden end. Her departure marks a significant shift for the business news division of the cable giant.
Vanity Fair’s Aidan McLaughlin said he was told she is not leaving for a job in the Trump administration. The situation remains fluid as legal teams review the internal communications involved. Fox executives have not commented publicly on the specific details of the internal text exchange. The network stands by its decision to remove her from the lineup effective immediately.
