Maria Bartiromo’s Fox News exit continues to draw questions about what happened behind the scenes. Peter Navarro has now corroborated key details while appearing on Newsmax.
What We Know: Reports from Status and other outlets said Bartiromo shared internal Fox guidance with White House officials. The guidance reportedly instructed staff not to promote President Donald Trump’s July 16 speech about Chinese interference in U.S. elections. Navarro has now confirmed that Bartiromo sent him the information. He also said the White House subsequently contacted Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott. Fox News announced on September 3 that it had parted ways with Bartiromo after more than 12 years. The network did not provide a reason for her departure. Meanwhile, attorney Bryan Freedman denied reports that Bartiromo was fired over the alleged disclosure. He called the reporting irresponsible and said it showed “a complete and utter reckless disregard for the truth.”
What They Said: “I’m not getting into the details. Remember I went to prison, Greg, for not violating executive privilege, but suffice it to say that Suzanne Scott got a call. Basically, the White House let her know that that kind of thing is totally unacceptable. She didn’t accept that at all. She just went out and fired Maria Bartiromo. That place is out of control.” -Peter Navarro
What Remains Unclear: Navarro’s comments confirm that Bartiromo communicated internal Fox guidance to him and that White House officials contacted Scott. However, Fox News has not publicly confirmed that the communication caused Bartiromo’s departure. Her attorney also continues to dispute the characterization of her exit as a firing.
What It Means: Navarro’s comments provide significant on-the-record support for a central detail in reports surrounding Bartiromo’s departure. Still, the full sequence of events and Fox’s reasoning remain publicly unresolved.
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