Fox News has fired longtime anchor Maria Bartiromo after more than 12 years at the network following an incident in which she allegedly sent Trump administration officials a screenshot of an internal Fox directive, according to reports.

The incident reportedly dates back to July, when Fox Business management instructed editors not to lend credibility to claims by President Donald Trump regarding Chinese interference in the 2020 presidential election.

According to reports by Status and the Los Angeles Times, when Trump or another senior official questioned why Fox was not covering the claims more extensively, Bartiromo revealed that the decision had come from network management and allegedly sent officials a screenshot of the internal directive.

The move was viewed as a violation of her employment agreement and confidentiality obligations. Patrick Ianuzzi, the executive producer of Bartiromo’s morning program, was also fired in connection with the incident.

Fox said Bartiromo’s departure was a business decision, with the network formally announcing that the 58-year-old anchor was no longer part of Fox News Media without publicly providing a specific reason.

Bartiromo had become one of the network personalities most closely identified with Trump and hosted guests who promoted unsubstantiated claims regarding the 2020 election.

Those broadcasts previously played a role in major litigation against Fox, including the network’s $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems in 2023. Bartiromo is also personally named as a defendant in Smartmatic’s lawsuit, with the report saying the legal exposure had damaged her standing inside the network.

Trump reacted to Bartiromo’s firing on Truth Social, expressing disappointment and describing her as a professional and a “true fighter.”

Her departure also prompted speculation that she could be tapped as White House press secretary. Vice President JD Vance dismissed that possibility during a press conference, while praising Bartiromo as an “amazing talent” and saying he does not get involved in television network drama.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)