Maria Bartiromo is out at Fox. What took so long?
Written by Matt Gertz
Published
My latest for MS NOW is about Fox’s decision to cut ties with network veteran and Trump loyalist Maria Bartiromo:
Fox News Media announced on Thursday that it had parted ways with longtime host Maria Bartiromo with a brusque 22-word statement: “We thank Maria for her work over the last 12 1/2 years and wish her all the best on her next chapter.” As soon as the announcement was made, media observers wondered: What development led to her long tenure’s abrupt end?
The answer says a lot about Fox’s unprecedented role in the political landscape, its unhealthy relationship with the president, and the ongoing fallout of Trump’s obsession with unhinged conspiracy theories.
Even among her network’s assembly of Trump friends, former employees and family members, Bartiromo stood out for her zealotry and close ties to the president. Once an award-winning financial reporter and anchor at CNBC, she joined Fox in 2013. As Trump rose to political power, she aggressively rebranded as an unrestrained MAGA warrior. She was so loyal that, according to a book by Axios’ Alex Isenstadt, Trump considered her for his 2024 running mate.