Maria Bartiromo, recognized as one of President Donald Trump’s key television allies, has unexpectedly left Fox News after over ten years with the network. Fox provided no rationale for her departure, leading to speculation regarding her potential future role within the Trump administration.
Fox announced that Bartiromo’s exit is immediate. Her final episode of Mornings with Maria aired on Thursday, and her program Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street will be renamed as FBN’s Wall Street. Jason Chaffetz is set to temporarily host her Sunday Morning Futures slot, with Fox indicating that a permanent replacement will be announced later.
Bartiromo’s departure is noteworthy given her strong ratings success at Fox. Her program Sunday Morning Futures was the highest-rated weekend show, drawing approximately 1.9 million viewers in the second quarter of this year. This indicates that poor ratings were not the cause behind her leaving.
Potential Move to Washington
Bartiromo, 58, may transition from television to Washington, filling the role of White House Press Secretary left vacant by Karoline Leavitt’s August departure. Bartiromo has maintained a close association with Trump, providing him a supportive platform, while occasionally questioning administration members, such as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, regarding tariff policy messaging.
Fox has not disclosed Bartiromo’s future plans. Newsweek reached out to Bartiromo and the White House for comments.
Election Fraud Controversy
Bartiromo’s coverage of the 2020 presidential election remains her most significant controversy. She allotted considerable airtime to Trump’s claims of election fraud and frequently interviewed Trump lawyer Sidney Powell, despite concerns over the validity of evidence. These broadcasts became crucial in the Dominion Voting Systems litigation against Fox.
Bartiromo defended her approach, explaining in deposition that her audience desired updates on Trump and his legal team’s actions and that she pursued evidence from them. She features as a defendant in Smartmatic’s defamation litigation against Fox News, alongside Fox and other prominent figures. The litigation continues to scrutinize the network’s handling of election fraud allegations.
This controversy possibly bolstered her standing with Trump’s political base, solidifying her as a prominent pro-Trump figure on Fox.
Embarrassment in 2020
2020 also brought an embarrassing incident when an animal-rights activist fraudulently presented as the CEO of Smithfield Foods was interviewed by Bartiromo. The impersonator remained on air for over six minutes before the oversight was uncovered, and Bartiromo admitted that the program had been deceived.
Bartiromo’s Ratings
Bartiromo did not depart after experiencing a decline in ratings. Fox News Media’s first-quarter 2026 ratings announcement revealed Sunday Morning Futures as the leading Sunday program at 10 a.m., averaging 2 million viewers, including 189,000 in the 25-54 demographic.
The second quarter confirmed the program retained its position as top-rated weekend show, with an average viewership of roughly 1.9 million. These figures suggest that ratings issues did not motivate Bartiromo’s exit from Sunday Morning Futures. Her morning show on Fox Business did have lower ratings, with around 123,000 viewers per episode.
Background: Maria Bartiromo
Maria Bartiromo, a veteran financial journalist, became a leading figure in American business television before transitioning into a prominent conservative media persona.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1967, Bartiromo grew up in Bay Ridge, in an Italian-American household. Her father, Vincent, was a chef, while her mother, Josephine, served as a hostess. Bartiromo graduated from Fontbonne Hall Academy and studied journalism and economics at New York University.
She began her television career at CNN as a producer and editor, later joining CNBC in 1993. Her two-decade tenure at the network saw her become a financial television trailblazer, notably reporting live from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) floor. She was CNBC’s pioneering anchor and operated several prominent programs, earning her the nickname “Money Honey.” Her work earned Emmy Awards.
In 2013, Bartiromo transitioned to Fox Business. There, she expanded her focus beyond financial news to include politics and national affairs, hosting Mornings with Maria, Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street, and Sunday Morning Futures, further associating with Trump’s political movement.
Her personal life intersects with finance; in 1999, she married Jonathan Steinberg, CEO of investment-management firm WisdomTree.
Potential Return to Politics
Given her close relationship with Trump, Bartiromo may secure a role in his administration. However, her interactions with the administration show she is not merely a Trump spokesperson.
For instance, in March 2025, Bartiromo openly criticized the shifting explanations by Bessent about tariffs and their impact, emphasizing the lack of clarity for businesses.
She also questioned Trump’s military claims about Iran, noting discrepancies regarding Iran’s demonstrated military capabilities. Her critical stance reflects her willingness to challenge Trump officials.
These interactions suggest Bartiromo might not transition directly into the Trump administration but could still engage with its inner workings.
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