Fox News pulls Maria Bartiromo off air, last host tied to Dominion suit

Fox News this week pulled Maria Bartiromo off the air, removing one of the last remaining hosts whose coverage of the 2020 election helped trigger a defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems that cost the network $787.5 million in a settlement. The decision, reported by multiple outlets, ends Bartiromo's run at the network after nearly eight years and leaves a conspicuous gap in its weekday and Sunday programming lineup.

Dominion sued Fox in 2021, seeking $1.6 billion in damages and alleging that the network knowingly aired false claims that the company's voting machines were rigged against Donald Trump. Bartiromo was one of the most prominent hosts to amplify those claims, interviewing Trump allies who pushed the conspiracy theories on her shows. The settlement in April 2023 was one of the largest defamation payouts in media history, and it came with a rare acknowledgment from Fox that the court had found certain statements about Dominion to be false.

Bartiromo, who joined Fox in 2016 after a long career at CNBC, hosted 'Mornings with Maria' on Fox Business and 'Sunday Morning Futures' on Fox News. Her shows became a platform for election fraud narratives, and she was named in Dominion's lawsuit alongside other hosts like Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, and Lou Dobbs. Dobbs was ousted in 2021, and Carlson was fired in April 2023, but Bartiromo remained on air until this week. Her departure now leaves Hannity as the only major prime-time host still tied to the original lawsuit, though he has not faced the same level of internal scrutiny.

The move is part of a broader effort by Fox to distance itself from the election coverage that damaged its reputation and bottom line. The network has faced ongoing legal and financial fallout, including additional lawsuits from voting technology companies and shareholders. Just last year, Fox agreed to pay $787.5 million to Dominion, and it still faces a separate defamation suit from Smartmatic, another voting technology firm, which is seeking $2.7 billion in damages. By removing Bartiromo, Fox is signaling that it is willing to cut ties with even its most established personalities to protect its business and avoid further legal exposure.

For investors, the decision underscores the financial risks of editorial decisions that cross legal lines. Fox Corporation's stock has been volatile since the Dominion settlement, and the company has already spent hundreds of millions on legal fees and payouts. The removal of Bartiromo also raises questions about the future of Fox's programming and its ability to retain viewers who have come to expect a certain style of commentary. While the network has a deep bench of talent, losing a veteran anchor who has been a staple of business news coverage could affect ratings and advertiser confidence, particularly in the competitive cable news landscape.

Bartiromo's departure is a reminder that the consequences of the 2020 election misinformation are still reverberating across the media industry. While Fox has tried to move on, the legal and reputational damage persists. The network's decision to take her off the air may appease critics, but it also highlights the tension between its business interests and its role in shaping public discourse. For other media executives, the episode serves as a cautionary tale about the cost of prioritizing ratings over accuracy, and the long-term price of airing unverified claims from powerful sources.

It remains unclear whether Bartiromo will return to the network in any capacity or if she will pursue other opportunities. Her exit leaves a gap in Fox's lineup, and the network will need to decide how to fill the void. For now, the move marks a significant shift in the media landscape, as one of the most recognizable faces in business news is no longer on the air. The broader implications extend beyond Fox: it signals that even the most entrenched personalities are not immune to the fallout from defamation claims, and that media companies are increasingly willing to make hard cuts to protect their bottom lines.