New details emerge in firing of Fox News host Maria Bartiromo including claim she sent private ‘censorship’ directive to top Trump aide who passed it ‘up the chain’… sparking message from White House

More details have emerged over the firing of Fox News host Maria Bartiromo after she was reportedly axed for leaking information about the network’s coverage to the White House.

The star news anchor was abruptly fired on Thursday after she allegedly divulged that her bosses had directed her not to cover Donald Trump’s speech on election fraud in July.

It has now been revealed the directive allegedly came from senior vice president of programming for the Fox Business Network, Ralph Giordano, Puck News reports.

Giordano directed Bartiromo’s executive producer Patrick Ignozzi and other producers via text message to avoid covering the speech, according to the outlet.

Bartiromo planned to cover Trump’s speech and booked senior White House advisor Peter Navarro to discuss it. 

But Giordano was reportedly concerned the segment could lead to further legal action similar to the Dominion Voting Systems defamation lawsuits in which Bartiromo was named and sent her producer the text.

Ignozzi then forwarded the message onto Bartiromo per Puck, who is said to have shared them with Navarro. He deemed them ‘censorship’ and sent them ‘up the chain’ to top White House officials, according to Puck.

Navarro said that one high level administration official spoke to leadership at Fox to express their displeasure with the guidance. He did not name the official. 

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.

The Daily Mail 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.

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. 

‘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.’