Maria Bartiromo’s lawyer came out swinging after coverage of her Fox Business exit said the longtime anchor had been fired, calling the reports “absolutely and unequivocally false” and warning that evidence would emerge “through the courthouse or otherwise.”
Attorney Bryan Freedman issued the denial after Fox News Media announced Thursday that Bartiromo’s time with the company had ended, closing out nearly 13 years on the network.
“For many years, Maria Bartiromo hosted three number one rated television shows on FOX channels. She has been, without question, one of the hardest working journalists throughout her award-winning career,” Freedman said.
“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,” he continued.
Fox just fired Maria Bartiromo.
She wanted to report China’s role in the 2020 election. Fox execs texted producers: kill it. She sent the order to the White House. They fired her.
12 years. Three number-one shows. Gone overnight. No goodbye.
They never went through Hannity,… pic.twitter.com/X1RuJ9u9KH
— Afshine Emrani MD FACC (@afshineemrani) September 4, 2026
“Make no mistake, we have the receipts and witnesses and they will come out whether through the courthouse or otherwise.”
Freedman said anyone pushing the firing narrative had shown “a complete and utter reckless disregard for the truth.”
Fox News Media told the public in a Thursday morning announcement that Bartiromo’s run at the company ended that day.
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Cheryl Casone appeared in Bartiromo’s place on what became the 58-year-old host’s final Fox Business broadcast. Her Fox appearances had stopped after August 9.
“We thank Maria for her work over the last 12 ½ years and wish her all the best on her next chapter,” a spokesperson said in the release.
Fox Business is keeping the morning program alive under the title “Mornings With Fox Business,” with different anchors cycling through the chair.
Her branding is also being removed from “Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street,” Fox said.
The announcement left unanswered whether the exit was voluntary.
The news immediately fed questions about whether Bartiromo could land inside the White House, including talk that she might replace Karoline Leavitt as press secretary.
Vice President JD Vance dismissed the idea when a reporter raised it.
“I don’t know, man,” Vance said with a laugh. “No, I don’t think so.”
🚨 LMAO! JD Vance is asked if Maria Bartiromo is the next press secretary, and Vance says he wants Peter Doocy to TAKE THE PODIUM and answer about why she left Fox
"I'd like to invite Peter Doocy to come up here and answer about what happened to Maria!" 😂
"She's great. I wish… pic.twitter.com/ITBirbI4US
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) September 3, 2026
Vance also reacted to the announcement by saying, “I just saw the news literally as I walked out. I love Maria. I think she’s an amazing person, an amazing talent.”
He then joked that Fox News White House Correspondent Peter Doocy, who was in the briefing room, should come up and explain what had happened.
President Trump weighed in Thursday night on Truth Social, writing that he was stunned Bartiromo would no longer be leading her Fox News and Fox Business programs.
“I can’t believe Maria Bartiromo is no longer going to have her great show(s) on Fox News/Business,” Trump posted, adding that she had “three different shows” that were “always number one.”
“Maria is a total professional and a true warrior,” he continued.
“Her fans, of which there are many, will not be happy.”
Bartiromo’s exit followed reports about private Fox News information allegedly being relayed to the White House weeks before the announcement.
Status founder Oliver Darcy wrote that Bartiromo allegedly gave the White House an explanation for why Fox News devoted limited airtime to Trump’s July primetime speech about the 2020 election.
Darcy tied that explanation to instructions from network higher-ups cautioning staff against treating Trump’s claims as credible.
She was also accused of forwarding a Fox Business text to White House personnel, conduct the report said violated her employment agreement.
Puck News tied management’s discovery to a White House phone call to Fox. Her on-air absence began August 9, according to Puck.
Puck also connected that period to Bartiromo’s interest in a China-related election story involving Trump’s claims.
The episode returned Bartiromo to election-related claims that had already cost Fox News hundreds of millions of dollars.
After the 2020 election, Bartiromo aired doubts about Dominion Voting Systems on Fox. Fox News later paid $787.5 million in 2023 to resolve Dominion’s lawsuit over those claims.
Smartmatic is still pursuing a separate lawsuit. In that pending case, Bartiromo was listed as a defendant and remained the only one still employed by Fox as of Thursday.
Smartmatic accused her of giving airtime to false election claims to hold onto the audience.
In a December 2020 broadcast, Bartiromo said an “intel source” told her “President Trump did in fact win the election.”
A 2025 defamation filing put Bartiromo’s Fox compensation at $70 million after her 2014 move from CNBC.
Freedman’s statement pushed back against the firing reports while threatening that more could come out in court or elsewhere.
“Those reporting her firing or the incredulous facts supporting that fiction have exhibited a complete and utter reckless disregard for the truth,” he said.