Topline
Maria Bartiromo’s lawyer Bryan Freedman claimed the longtime Fox News and Fox Business anchor was not fired in a Friday morning statement, claiming he has “receipts and witnesses” that will come out “through the courthouse or otherwise.”
Maria Bartiromo spent more than a decade anchoring programs for Fox News and Fox Business. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images)
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Key Facts
Freedman said in a statement to Forbes the reports saying Bartiromo was “fired or is no longer an employee of Fox are absolutely and unequivocally false,” calling such claims “irresponsible.”
Freedman’s statement comes one day after Fox News Media announced in a press release that it had parted ways with Bartiromo, who had worked as a Fox News and Fox Business anchor for more than a decade.
“Effective today, Maria Bartiromo is no longer with FOX News Media,” the company’s Thursday statement said, adding, “We thank Maria for her work over the last 12 ½ years and wish her all the best on her next chapter,” though it did not elaborate on why Bartiromo left the network.
Bartiromo was the anchor of “Mornings with Maria” on Fox Business, which aired its last episode on Thursday, according to the company statement, as well as “Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street” on Fox Business and Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” all of which will now be helmed by temporary or rotating hosts.
Bartiromo joined Fox in 2014 after a two-decade tenure covering financial news at CNBC, and some critics have characterized her interviews with President Donald Trump as friendly and unchallenging, including about his claims the 2020 election was marred by fraud.
Forbes has reached out to Bartiromo’s lawyer and Fox News Media for comment.
why did bartiromo depart fox?
The New York Times and Status, a media newsletter, reported Bartiromo shared internal Fox Business communications with the White House, citing an unnamed source familiar with the situation. The message Bartiromo shared was reportedly a directive from a Fox Business executive urging its reporters not to cover Trump’s claims made during a prime-time address in July about election integrity.
white house reacts to bartiromo’s departure
President Donald Trump called Bartiromo a “total professional, and a true warrior” in a post on Truth Social late Thursday, saying he “can’t believe” she will no longer anchor for the network. “Her fans, of which there are many, will not be happy,” Trump said. A reporter asked Vice President JD Vance at a Thursday White House briefing whether Bartiromo would become the next White House press secretary following the departure of Karoline Leavitt. “I don’t know, man,” Vance said, laughing. “No, I don’t think so,” Vance said, adding he had just seen news of her departure prior to the briefing. “I love Maria, I think she’s an amazing person, an amazing talent,” Vance said, adding he doesn’t “get involved in the personal drama of media stations.”
what will happen to bartiromo’s shows?
Bartiromo’s former programs will all shed her name, according to the company announcement: “Mornings with Maria” will now air as “Mornings with Fox Business,” while “Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street” will become “FBN’s Wall Street.” Jason Chaffetz, a former Republican member of Congress who became a Fox contributor after departing office, will host the next episode of “Sunday Morning Futures” before a new host is announced, and Fox anchor Cheryl Casone will host this week’s “FBN’s Wall Street.”
surprising fact
Bartiromo was among the Fox hosts named in multiple lawsuits that alleged the network had broadcast false statements and conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. One such lawsuit, brought by Dominion Voting Systems, made many references to Bartiromo and other Fox hosts, accusing them of spreading false information. In one instance, Bartiromo said she knew “there were voting irregularities” while interviewing Sidney Powell, a lawyer who was part of Trump’s legal team and was later indicted. The Dominion case was later settled for $787 million. Bartiromo was also named in a similar defamation case brought by Smartmatic, a voting software company, which remains ongoing.
big number
$70 million. That’s how much Bartiromo made in her tenure at Fox News, according to court documents filed last year as part of the Smartmatic case.
further reading
Maria Bartiromo Is Out at Fox News (New York Times)
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