Maria Bartiromo Departs Fox News Amid Speculation of New Role

Maria Bartiromo, a prominent television ally of former President Donald Trump, has unexpectedly left Fox News after over a decade with the network. Fox did not provide a reason for her departure, leading to speculation that Bartiromo might be joining the Trump administration.

According to a statement provided by Fox to Newsweek, Bartiromo’s departure is effective immediately, and the network thanked her for her contributions over the past 12 and a half years. Her final episode of Mornings with Maria aired recently, while her weekly program Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street is being rebranded as FBN’s Wall Street. Jason Chaffetz will temporarily fill her slot for Sunday Morning Futures, with a permanent successor to be announced later.

Bartiromo’s exit is noteworthy because she remained a ratings success for Fox. Sunday Morning Futures was the network’s highest-rated weekend show, averaging around 1.9 million viewers in the second quarter of the year. There is no indication that the decision was driven by poor ratings.

The speculation now centers on whether Bartiromo, 58, might move from television to a potential role in the Trump administration, perhaps as a replacement for former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who resigned in August. Bartiromo maintains a strong relationship with Trump, often providing him with a favorable platform, despite occasionally challenging members of his administration.

Fox has not disclosed Bartiromo’s next steps. Newsweek reached out to both Bartiromo and the White House for comment.

Election Fraud Controversy

Bartiromo’s most significant controversy revolves around her coverage of the 2020 presidential election. She dedicated substantial airtime to Trump’s claims of election fraud, including interviews with Trump lawyer Sidney Powell. These broadcasts later played a crucial role in the Dominion Voting Systems litigation against Fox.

Despite this, Bartiromo defended her approach, stating that her audience wanted to understand Trump’s and his legal team’s actions, and she was pressing them for evidence. She is also named as a defendant in Smartmatic’s defamation lawsuit against Fox News, along with other Fox personalities.

The controversy did not apparently harm her standing with Trump’s political base; if anything, it reinforced her status as a prominent pro-Trump figure on Fox.

In a separate incident in 2020, an animal rights activist posed as the CEO of Smithfield Foods and was interviewed by Bartiromo. The impostor spoke on air for over six minutes before the deception was discovered, leading Bartiromo to admit that the show had been tricked.

Maria Bartiromo’s Ratings

The timing of Bartiromo’s departure is interesting as it was not a result of declining ratings. Her Sunday Morning Futures continued to top ratings, with Fox reporting it as the leading Sunday show at 10 a.m., drawing 2 million viewers, including 189,000 from the 25-54 demographic in the first quarter. By the second quarter, the show still led the ratings, with about 1.9 million viewers.

Rating numbers indicate that a ratings issue did not prompt Bartiromo’s departure, particularly for Sunday Morning Futures. Her Fox Business morning program, Mornings with Maria, attracted about 123,000 viewers per episode.

Who Is Maria Bartiromo?

Bartiromo is a veteran financial journalist who transitioned from being a major figure in American business television to a prominent conservative media personality. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1967, Bartiromo grew up in Bay Ridge within an Italian-American family. Her early career involved working at CNN as a producer and editor before joining CNBC in 1993.

Her tenure at CNBC spanned nearly two decades, establishing her as a fixture on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). She became the first journalist to report live daily from the NYSE floor and gained recognition as one of CNBC’s well-known anchors.

Bartiromo’s CNBC programs included Closing Bell, Market Watch, and On the Money with Maria Bartiromo, earning the nickname “Money Honey.” Her interviews with influential figures in business and finance contributed to her reputation, and she won Emmy Awards for her work.

In 2013, Bartiromo moved to Fox Business, gradually expanding her coverage beyond financial news to encompass politics and national affairs. Her programs at Fox included Mornings with Maria, Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street, and Sunday Morning Futures, increasingly associating her with Trump’s political movement.

Bartiromo’s personal life connects her to the finance world; she married Jonathan Steinberg, CEO of WisdomTree, in 1999. They have no children.

Her transformation from a well-respected Wall Street reporter to one of Trump’s most visible media allies marks a significant career shift.

Could Bartiromo Be Headed to the Trump Administration?

Bartiromo has developed a close relationship with Trump since his first presidency and became one of the former president’s most favorable media interviewers. Her November 2020 interview with Trump was particularly controversial due to her acceptance of his claims about election fraud without requesting evidence.

This background raises the possibility of Bartiromo receiving a Trump administration appointment. Her television presence, economic knowledge, and access to Trump’s political movement could suit her for a communications, economic-policy, or media-facing role.

Bartiromo has not merely been a mouthpiece for the Trump administration. She has occasionally challenged Trump officials and questioned his administration’s economic messages.

Bartiromo Has Clashed With Trump’s Team

In March 2025, Bartiromo confronted Scott Bessent, the Treasury Secretary, about inconsistencies in the administration’s tariff policy explanations. Bessent tried to explain the importance of tariffs and non-tariff barriers, but Bartiromo pointed out that the rationale had shifted multiple times, causing confusion for businesses.

Her criticism was noteworthy coming from a renowned Trump supporter. She urged more transparency in the administration’s economic strategy, pointing to issues that Wall Street and corporate America grappled with.

Bartiromo also questioned Trump’s statements on the conflict with Iran. In July, after Trump claimed the U.S. had “obliterated” Iran’s military, Bartiromo questioned how Iran could still showcase strong military capabilities. This questioning was significant due to her generally supportive stance towards Trump and his administration.

These instances illustrate that Bartiromo’s potential move into Trump’s administration remains uncertain. Although she shares a close relationship with Trump, her willingness to challenge his administration when necessary complicates the possibility of a future role.