Maria Bartiromo’s attorney is threatening a potential legal showdown after emphatically denying reports that Fox News fired the veteran television host.
Powerhouse attorney Bryan Freedman branded reports that Bartiromo had been fired or was no longer employed by Fox “absolutely and unequivocally false.”
His statement came after Fox News Media announced Thursday that Maria Bartiromo was “no longer with” the company after more than 12 years.
Axios separately reported that a Fox spokesperson confirmed Bartiromo had been fired for business reasons. The company did not publicly explain its decision in the official announcement.
Freedman fiercely disputed how his client’s departure has been characterized and warned that he has “receipts and witnesses” ready to support his version of events.
“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,” Freedman told the Daily Mail.
“Make no mistake, we have the receipts and witnesses and they will come out whether through the courthouse or otherwise.
“Those reporting her firing or the incredulous facts supporting that fiction have exhibited a complete and utter reckless disregard for the truth.”
Fox News Media disclosed the split in a brief press release Thursday morning.
“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 press release.
Fox said the final episode of “Mornings with Maria” aired Thursday morning on Fox Business Network. Axios, however, reported that Bartiromo herself had not appeared on the air since Aug. 9.
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The weekday program will be renamed “Mornings with Fox Business” and hosted by a rotating cast of anchors.
Bartiromo’s weekly Fox Business program, “Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street,” will become “FBN’s Wall Street.” Cheryl Casone will host the first rebranded edition, followed by rotating anchors.
Former Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz will temporarily take over “Sunday Morning Futures” as Fox searches for a permanent host.
The rapid overhaul came amid competing reports about the events leading to Bartiromo’s departure.
Status News reported that Bartiromo allegedly disclosed confidential network guidance to President Donald Trump or another White House official.
According to the outlet, Bartiromo revealed that “Fox issued guidance to senior employees instructing them to steer clear of giving credence to Trump’s delusional claims” about the 2020 election being stolen from him.
Fox has not publicly confirmed the alleged disclosure or said it caused Bartiromo’s departure.
Mediaite reported that the purported leak was “not the only reason” behind the decision. Bartiromo’s staff had reportedly been “freaking out” about the future of her programs for weeks.
Sources described a “confluence of factors” that had damaged Bartiromo’s relationship with network executives, including editorial disagreements, costly litigation and problems stemming from recent interviews.
One controversy followed a May appearance by Kevin O’Leary, who accused opponents of his proposed Utah data center of being backed by China. O’Leary later acknowledged that he did not have evidence supporting the allegation, prompting Fox to air corrections and apologies.
As tensions mounted, Bartiromo’s staff was reportedly instructed not to communicate with her without going through management.
Sources said she had been seen in the Hamptons but was “nowhere to be found” among her usual circle and had stopped returning calls.
Legal fallout from Fox’s coverage of Trump’s challenges to the 2020 election reportedly contributed to the friction.
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
Bartiromo’s broadcasts were cited in Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit against Fox. The network agreed to pay Dominion $787.5 million in 2023 to settle the case before trial.
Bartiromo is also a defendant in Smartmatic’s separate $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox and several of its personalities. That case is “still hanging out there,” a source told Mediaite.
Documents released through the Smartmatic case also revealed the enormous value of Bartiromo’s Fox contracts.
During a deposition, Bartiromo agreed that she stood to receive more than $70 million from the beginning of her Fox tenure through her contract extending into 2025.
The Brooklyn native officially joined Fox Business in January 2014 after spending 20 years at CNBC.
Bartiromo arrived at CNBC in 1993 after being hired by Roger Ailes, who later became the founding chairman and CEO of Fox News. She became the first television journalist to deliver daily live reports from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
