US President Donald Trump has publicly praised longtime Fox News and Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo as a “true warrior” following her abrupt departure from the network, as questions continue to swirl over the circumstances behind the split.
Fox News Media announced on September 3 that Bartiromo was leaving the company effective immediately after more than 12 years.
“Effective today, Maria Bartiromo is no longer with FOX News Media,” the company said, thanking her for her work and wishing her well in her “next chapter.” Fox subsequently described the departure as a “business decision” but did not provide a detailed explanation.
Trump reacted hours later on Truth Social, expressing surprise at the decision.
“I can’t believe Maria Bartiromo is no longer going to have her great show(s) on FoxNews/Business,” Trump wrote, describing her as a “total professional” and a “true warrior.” He added that her many fans “will not be happy.”
Bartiromo hosted three prominent programmes across the Fox networks: “Mornings with Maria” and “Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street” on Fox Business, and the weekly political programme “Sunday Morning Futures” on Fox News.
Fox has already begun reorganising its programming following her departure. “Mornings with Maria” has been renamed “Mornings with FOX Business” and will use rotating anchors. “Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street” is becoming “FBN’s Wall Street,” while former Republican congressman Jason Chaffetz is temporarily taking over “Sunday Morning Futures” until a permanent host is selected.
The circumstances surrounding Bartiromo's exit, however, remain disputed.
Axios reported that Fox fired Bartiromo for business reasons, while other media reports have alleged that her departure followed an incident in which she shared internal Fox guidance concerning coverage of Trump's claims about China and the 2020 election with members of the White House.
Trump adviser Peter Navarro subsequently confirmed that Bartiromo had sent him a screenshot of internal guidance after he had been scheduled to appear on her programme to discuss voter fraud. Fox has not publicly said that the incident was the reason for its decision.
Bartiromo's attorney, Bryan Freedman, has strongly challenged reports that she was fired or is no longer employed by Fox, calling them “absolutely and unequivocally false.”
Freedman said Bartiromo's legal team had “receipts and witnesses” and suggested the dispute could eventually reach court. Fox, meanwhile, has continued to stand by its announcement that Bartiromo is no longer with Fox News Media.
The episode marks a dramatic turn for one of American television's best-known financial journalists. Bartiromo spent roughly two decades at CNBC before moving to Fox Business in 2014. Earlier in her career, she became the first television journalist to report live regularly from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, earning the nickname “Money Honey.”
Her journalism became increasingly intertwined with politics during the Trump era. Bartiromo frequently interviewed Trump and senior members of his administration and became one of the president's most prominent television allies.
Her coverage of Trump's claims surrounding the 2020 presidential election also placed her at the centre of litigation involving voting technology companies. Fox agreed in 2023 to pay $787.5 million to settle Dominion Voting Systems' defamation lawsuit over false election claims broadcast by the network. Smartmatic has separately pursued litigation involving Fox and several personalities, including Bartiromo.
Bartiromo's sudden exit has also prompted speculation that she could move into the Trump administration. Vice President JD Vance, however, dismissed suggestions that she could become the next White House press secretary, saying he did not believe that was the case.
For now, Fox has moved ahead with replacing Bartiromo across its programming, while her lawyer's unusually forceful response leaves open the possibility that the dispute over exactly how and why her 12-year relationship with the network ended is far from over.
