Maria Bartiromo’s sudden ouster led to an awkward blunder in the first broadcast of the hastily revamped show now hosted by a replacement.
Just one day after the veteran host was shown the door after 12 and a half years with the network, it had already changed the names of the shows she’d fronted.
The newly christened Fox Business News will be hosted by a revolving cast of presenters and kicked off on Friday with Fox Business correspondent Cheryl Casone at the helm, who had apparently not fully adjusted to the show’s new name.
“You’re watching Mornings with Maria—Fox Business. We’ll be right back,” Casone said Friday before cutting to a break.
Bartiromo, 58, abruptly departed the network Thursday, with no official explanation for the move given by Fox. But Status reported that she had leaked a diktat from Fox executives telling staff not to cover President Trump’s baseless ramblings in July about Chinese interference in the 2020 election to the White House.
In a statement to the Daily Beast, Bartiromo’s lawyer denied that she’d been ousted.
“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,” said Bryan Freedman.
“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. 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.”
The dueling narratives follow a bombshell report from Mediaite, claiming that staff at Fox were blocked from contacting Bartiromo in the weeks leading up to her ouster.
“In order to talk to her, you had to go to management,” a source told the news site. They added that staffers “knew something was up,” and were “instructed not to talk to her.”
“Even her own staff had to go through management,” they said. “People were freaking out.”
President Trump was left unimpressed by her exit. “I can’t believe Maria Bartiromo is no longer going to have her great show(s) on FoxNews/Business. Three different shows, always number one,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“Maria is a total professional, and a true warrior. Her fans, of which there are many, will not be happy. God bless you, Maria! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
