Fox News denies Maria Bartiromo termination amid reports of her departure

Lawyers for Maria Bartiromo have rejected reports that the anchor has been terminated or has left Fox News Media, calling the claims inaccurate and threatening potential legal action.

Bryan Freedman, an attorney representing Bartiromo, told The Independent that his client remained with the company despite reports surrounding her status.

“For many years, Maria Bartiromo hosted three number-one-rated television shows on Fox channels,” Freedman said.

“She has been, without question, one of the hardest-working journalists throughout her award-winning career. The irresponsible reports that have been published stating that Maria Bartiromo was fired or is no longer an employee of Fox are absolutely and unequivocally false.

“Make no mistake, we have the receipts and witnesses and they will come out whether through the courthouse or otherwise. Those reporting her firing or the incredulous facts supporting that fiction have exhibited a complete and utter reckless disregard for the truth.”

Freedman, a high-profile media lawyer who previously handled high-stakes separations for figures including Megyn Kelly, Chris Cuomo, Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon, issued the statement following widespread coverage of Bartiromo’s abrupt absence from the network.

The dispute follows a brief announcement from Fox News Media stating that the network was parting ways with the long-time presenter after 12 and a half years, thanking her for her work, and wishing her the best in future endeavors.

Reporting by media watchdog Status subsequently alleged that Bartiromo was let go after sharing an internal company guidance with the Trump administration. The internal directive reportedly instructed network personnel to avoid amplifying unsubstantiated election claims made by Donald Trump during a speech.

Reports also indicated that Bartiromo’s top producer, Patrick Ignozzi, was no longer with the network.

The sudden shift led to swift reactions across political and media circles. Trump defended the host on Truth Social, calling her a “total professional” and a “true warrior.” Eric Trump praised her as “the hardest-working person in media” in a post on X, calling the departure a major loss for the network.

Fox has already moved to adjust its program lineup. Mornings with Maria on Fox Business is being rebranded as Mornings with Fox Business with rotating anchors. Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street has been renamed Fox Business Network’s Wall Street, hosted this week by Cheryl Casone, and Jason Chaffetz was tapped to host Sunday Morning Futures.

Speculation briefly linked Bartiromo to a potential role within the White House following the departure of former press secretary Karoline Leavitt. However, reporting from Vanity Fair indicated she was not pursuing a position in the administration.

Throughout her tenure, Bartiromo remained a prominent conservative media voice and frequent interviewer of Trump. During an April broadcast, Trump told her he was “very surprised” crude oil prices were at $92 a barrel, adding, “it’s going to come dropping down very big as soon as it's over.”