Fox News has parted ways with anchor Maria Bartiromo, and 
Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social late Thursday that her fans "will not be happy." Bartiromo had anchored on Fox News and Fox Business Network for more than 12 years before the network's surprise announcement on Thursday, Variety reported.
What did Trump say? "I can't believe Maria Bartiromo is no longer going to have her great show(s) on FoxNews/Business," Trump wrote. "Three different shows, always number one. Maria is a total professional, and a true warrior." The post continued: "Her fans, of which there are many, will not be happy. God bless you, Maria!"
Why did the network part ways with her? Fox News did not give a reason for the dismissal, and a network spokesperson on Thursday called the departure "a business decision." A source familiar with the situation told Variety that Fox News believes Bartiromo shared with the White House a directive that network bosses issued to Fox Business executive producers cautioning staffers against supporting outlandish claims made by Trump. Bartiromo had wanted to pursue a story on claims Trump made in a July 16 speech, a detail the outlet attributed to the media newsletter Status. In that speech, he alleged that recent U.S. elections had been "rigged and stolen" and that China had illegally accessed millions of voter files to try to manipulate American elections in 2018 and 2020.
What is her background? Bartiromo, nicknamed "The Money Honey" during two decades at CNBC, joined Fox Business in 2014 and last appeared on air on Aug. 9, Variety reported. She was among Fox News staffers, including Sean Hannity and Jeanine Pirro, named in a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit that Dominion Voting filed against the network in 2021. That suit alleged she had allowed false claims about the 2020 presidential election to air as part of a bid to keep pro-Trump viewers from abandoning Fox News, and Fox ultimately agreed to settle it for $787.5 million.
Has Bartiromo responded? Bartiromo had not commented on her exit at the time of publication, the trade paper reported. She has retained Hollywood attorney Bryan Freedman, who has worked with Megyn Kelly and others who have had conflicts with media employers.
Figures referenced: Donald Trump. — JudgeMarket.
