Maria Bartiromo out at Fox News Media

WASHINGTON: Fox News Media said on Thursday it was parting ways with its longtime business anchor Maria ​Bartiromo after more than a decade with the company.

The company gave ‌no specific reason for her departure, which it said was effective immediately. A Fox News spokesperson described the move as a “business decision.”

“We thank Maria for her work over the last 12-1/2 years ​and wish her all the best on her next chapter,” Fox News ​Media said in a statement.

Bartiromo was last on the air on ⁠August 9. She did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bartiromo was ​host of a daily morning show, “Mornings with Maria,” on Fox Business, as well ​as a Friday evening show, “Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street” and a Sunday morning program, “Sunday Morning Futures.”

She secured one of the first media interviews with US President Donald Trump after he left the White House ​in 2021.

Her sudden exit follows Karoline Leavitt’s departure from the White House press secretary ​role last month, although Vice President JD Vance, asked on Thursday whether Bartiromo would be ‌the next ⁠press secretary, told reporters: “No, I don’t think so.”

“I just saw the news literally as I walked out,” Vance said in the White House briefing room. “I love Maria. I think she’s an amazing person, amazing talent. I don’t get involved in ​the personal drama of ​media stations.”

Bartiromo joined Fox ⁠News in 2013 after two decades at rival CNBC, where she became the first journalist to report live daily from ​the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

She was among ​Fox hosts ⁠named in defamation litigation over the network’s airing of false claims that voting technology companies helped to rig the 2020 US presidential election, which Democrat Joe Biden won.

Fox agreed ⁠in 2023 ​to pay Dominion Voting Systems $787.5 million to settle ​one of the lawsuits, while Smartmatic’s separate case against the network is still pending.