New reporting is shedding light on the circumstances surrounding Fox News host Maria Bartiromo’s reported dismissal, after allegations surfaced that she leaked internal details about the network’s coverage plans to the White House.
The veteran anchor was said to have been abruptly let go on Thursday following claims that she revealed Fox executives had instructed her not to cover Donald Trump’s July remarks about election fraud.
According to Puck News , the order allegedly came from Ralph Giordano, senior vice president of programming for the Fox Business Network.
Giordano reportedly sent a text message to Bartiromo’s executive producer, Patrick Ignozzi, and other producers directing them to steer clear of the Trump speech, the outlet reported.
Bartiromo had intended to feature the speech in her coverage and had already lined up senior White House adviser Peter Navarro to appear on air and discuss it.
But Giordano was allegedly worried the segment could expose the network to additional legal risk, echoing the fallout from the Dominion Voting Systems defamation litigation in which Bartiromo had been named, prompting him to send the warning to her producer.
Ignozzi then forwarded the message to Bartiromo, Puck reported. Bartiromo is alleged to have passed the texts to Navarro, who viewed the instruction as “censorship” and escalated the matter “up the chain” to senior White House officials.
Navarro said a high-ranking administration official later contacted Fox leadership to register frustration over the guidance, though he did not identify the official involved.
Ousted Fox News host Maria Bartiromo (pictured) allegedly sent a White House advisor screenshots of a network executive banning her from covering a Donald Trump speech
Donald Trump was among the many conservatives who were saddened to see Bartiromo’s show taken off the air
The screenshots reportedly made Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott and President Jay Wallace furious.
Bartiromo made her last appearance on Fox Business on August 7 and Fox News on August 9.
While still technically under contract through 2028, the network announced Thursday that she was ‘no longer with Fox News Media.’ Ignozzi was let go alongside her.
Our News Outlet has reached out to both Fox News and Bartiromo’s attorney for comment.
Bartiromo, 58, previously caused trouble for the network when she questioned Dominion Voting Systems’ technology and methods following Trump’s 2020 election loss.
Dominion filed a lawsuit against the network over the claims, for which Fox News paid a $787.5 million settlement in 2023.
At the time she sent the White House the guidance, Bartiromo was also reportedly seeking to pursue a story related to China and the 2020 election and Trump’s claims of Chinese interference, according to Puck.
Ralph Giordano (pictured), the senior vice president of programming for the Fox Business Network, allegedly directed Bartiromo via text message not to cover the speech
White House trade counselor Peter Navarro claimed that Bartiromo sent him screenshots showing Giordano’s directive, which he termed as ‘censorship’ and sent them ‘up the chain’ to fellow top White House officials
Her final show aired on Fox Business on Thursday morning when Cheryl Casone stood in for the host.
The program will now be hosted by a rotating cast of anchors and will be renamed Mornings With Fox Business.
Her other show, Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street, will have her name stripped from it as well, the company said.
‘We thank Maria for her work over the last 12 and a half years and wish her all the best on her next chapter,’ a spokesperson for the network said in a press release on Thursday.
When asked about the reports suggesting she was ousted after she revealed Fox News’ guidance about Trump’s claims, a spokesperson simply told Status it was a ‘business decision and the release speaks for itself.’
But court documents from the 2025 defamation lawsuit against Fox revealed she took home an eye-watering $70 million since joining the network from CNBC in 2014.
She joined the latter in 1993 after being hired by then-CNBC president and future Fox exec Roger Ailes.
President Trump has since lamented her departure from the network.
Fox News leadership ultimately learned of Bartiromo’s actions when it received a call from the White House, according to Puck News
‘I can’t believe Maria Bartiromo is no longer going to have her great show(s) on Fox News/Business,’ he posted on his Truth Social page Thursday night, saying she had ‘three different shows’ that were ‘always number one.’
‘Maria is a total professional and a true warrior,’ the president continued.
‘Her fans, of which there are many, will not be happy.’
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance downplayed rumors that she was in line to replace Karoline Leavitt as the next White House press secretary.
‘I don’t know, man,’ he told a reporter who asked with a laugh. ‘No, I don’t think so.’
