Maria Bartiromo Ousted From Fox News After 12.5 Years on September 3

Fox News announced Thursday that it has ended its relationship with anchor Maria Bartiromo, effective immediately, after 12.5 years with the network. Bartiromo, who earned around $6 million annually, had not appeared on air since August 9. The departure follows revelations that she shared internal Fox News guidance with Trump White House officials, which Fox deemed a violation of her employment contract.

Why Fox removed Bartiromo now

Fox News leadership decided to remove Bartiromo in August after learning she disclosed confidential company information to the Trump White House. According to CNN, Bartiromo showed White House officials a text message containing Fox network guidance that directed against covering conspiracy theories about China and the 2020 election. When Fox management learned of the disclosure, they deemed it a breach of her employment agreement.

Her shows and replacement hosts

Bartiromo hosted three programs: the daily “Mornings with Maria” on Fox Business Network, “Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street” on Friday nights, and the weekend “Sunday Morning Futures.” Fox said “Mornings with Maria” will be renamed “Mornings with Fox Business” with rotating anchors starting Friday. “Sunday Morning Futures” will be hosted by Jason Chaffetz this Sunday, with a permanent replacement to be announced later. Executive producer Patrick Ignozzi was also ousted alongside Bartiromo.

Legal cases and defamation liability

Bartiromo was a central figure in two major defamation suits against Fox News. She promoted false claims about the 2020 election on her programs, leading to a $787.5 million settlement with voting technology company Dominion Voting Systems in 2023. She remains the only individual defendant in a $2.7 billion defamation suit filed by Smartmatic, another voting software company. That case is scheduled for trial next year.

Trump allies react to her exit

Vice President JD Vance said Thursday he had not spoken with Bartiromo about her departure but praised her publicly. “I love Maria. I think she’s an amazing person, an amazing talent,” Vance told reporters. “Whatever she does, she’s gonna do great, and I wish her all the best. She’s a very, very dear friend.” Bartiromo had frequently earned praise from President Trump, who called her a “great reporter” and granted her multiple interviews over the years.

Final Thoughts

Bartiromo’s abrupt exit marks the largest surprise departure from Fox since Tucker Carlson in April 2023. Her removal eliminates the last individual defendant still employed at Fox in the Smartmatic defamation case, potentially simplifying the network’s legal exposure heading into next year’s trial.

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