Trump hails Maria Bartiromo a ‘true warrior’ after shock Fox News departure over alleged White House leaks

President Donald Trump has reacted to Maria Bartiromo’s shock departure from Fox News and Fox Business, paying tribute to the conservative newscaster on Truth Social. “I can’t believe Maria Bartiromo is no longer going to have her great show(s) on FoxNews/Business,” the president lamented on his social media platform after the news broke Thursday. “Three different shows, always number one. Maria is a total professional, and a true warrior. Her fans, of which there are many, will not be happy. God bless you, Maria!”The president’s son, Eric Trump, also celebrated her, posting on X: “Maria Bartiromo is the best in the business and the hardest-working person in media. “Smart. Kind. Principled. The best interviewer on television. Proud to have been with her everywhere that mattered over the past 15 years – Wall Street, Davos, Milwaukee, and every corner of the earth in between. This is a huge loss for Fox.”President Donald Trump has praised the departing Fox host Maria Bartiromo as ‘a true warrior’ (AFP/Getty)Bartiromo’s exit came as a complete surprise and was announced by Fox in a short statement that read: “Effective today, Maria Bartiromo is no longer with Fox News Media. “We thank Maria for her work over the last 12-and-a-half years and wish her all the best on her next chapter.”It was subsequently reported by the media journal Status the anchor was let go because she had allegedly leaked an internal network directive to the Trump administration in which Fox executives warned their shows to steer clear of the president’s latest unproven claims about the 2020 election. Trump had delivered a televised address to the nation from the Oval Office in July in which he accused unnamed national security officials of undermining the security of U.S. elections and China of interfering in the vote he lost to Joe Biden six years ago, without providing evidence.Fox has shown a greater wariness towards such claims since it was sued for defamation by Dominion Voting Systems after airing MAGA conspiracy theories about the election, ultimately settling the case for $787.5 million in April 2023.By sharing the directive, Bartiromo violated the terms of her employment agreement, Status reported.She has yet to speak out on her dismissal. The Independent has reached out to the White House, Fox and Bartiromo’s attorney for comment.Bartiromo interviewing Trump last year (Fox News)The journalist interviewed Trump on many occasions and was even “seriously considered” as a potential running mate during the 2024 presidential election campaign, according to Alex Isenstadt’s book Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power (2025), before he opted for JD Vance. She has recently been tipped as a successor to former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, although Vanity Fair’s Washington correspondent Aidan McLaughlin has already debunked the suggestion, posting: “Bartiromo is not leaving for a job in the Trump admin, I’m told.”Fox has said Thursday’s Mornings with Maria on Fox Business will be rebranded Mornings with Fox Business and helmed by a rotating cast of presenters.Her Friday show Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street will also be renamed as Fox Business Network’s Wall Street and hosted this week by Cheryl Casone.This weekend’s Sunday Morning Futures will be presented by Jason Chaffetz, with a new permanent host to be announced at a later date.Trump is not Bartiromo’s only famous admirer: punk rock legend Joey Ramone once wrote a song about her, having developed a crush after watching her deliver stock market tips on TV, which he included on his debut solo album Don’t Worry About Me (2002).