Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Maria Bartiromo

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Maria Bartiromo.

Maria Bartiromo is an American conservative journalist, author, and news anchor. She is known for her work in financial reporting and currently hosts "Mornings with Maria" and "Maria Bartiromo's Wall Street" on Fox Business, as well as "Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo" on Fox News. She is a prominent figure in business news and political commentary.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

2006: Controversy Over Closeness to Executives

In 2006, there was controversy regarding Maria Bartiromo's social closeness to some of the executives she was covering, including overseas trips with some sources. CNBC defended her, stating the trips were approved and her journalistic integrity was never compromised.

2017: Advocates for Trump Administration

After Donald Trump became president in 2017, Maria Bartiromo became an advocate for the Trump administration, frequently repeating administration talking points and giving friendly interviews to Trump.

November 8, 2020: Bartiromo's On-Air Conversation with Sidney Powell

On November 8, 2020, Maria Bartiromo's unsourced conversation with Sidney Powell on air, is said to have started the network's false claims about the election. Bartiromo did not fact check, push back, or ask for evidence, and merely repeated false claims.

November 2020: Conducts Post-Election Interview with Trump

In late November 2020, after Trump lost his bid for reelection, Maria Bartiromo conducted the first post-election interview with Trump, backing his false claims of election fraud. She was criticized for her conduct during the interview.

December 2020: Smartmatic Threatens Legal Action

In December 2020, attorneys for Smartmatic, a voting machine company baselessly accused of conspiring to rig the election, sent Fox News a letter threatening legal action and demanding retractions.

2020: Defamation Lawsuit

In 2020, Maria Bartiromo was named in a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit by Smartmatic and the Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News Network defamation lawsuit relating to unproven conspiracy theories used in attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election.

January 2021: Bartiromo Concurs with False Election Claims

In January 2021, Maria Bartiromo hosted Peter Navarro on her show, where he falsely claimed that Trump had won the election. Bartiromo concurred, falsely claiming that there were irregularities in the election. She also falsely claimed that Democrats wore MAGA clothing and were behind the storming of the Capitol.

February 2021: Smartmatic Files Defamation Suit

In February 2021, Smartmatic filed a $2.7 billion defamation suit against Fox News, Maria Bartiromo, and other hosts and guests.

July 2021: Bartiromo References Ashli Babbitt

In July 2021, Bartiromo referenced Ashli Babbitt, who was shot while part of a pro-Trump mob trying to push through a barricaded door inside the U.S. Capitol building, as a "wonderful woman" who "went to peaceful protest."

November 2021: Barr Recalls Bartiromo's Complaint

In November 2021, Jonathan Karl's book, Betrayal, reported an incident from November 2020 when Maria Bartiromo called attorney general Bill Barr to complain about the DOJ's handling of the election.

March 2022: Defamation Suit Against Fox News Proceeds

In March 2022, a New York State Supreme Court judge ruled that the defamation suit against Fox News could proceed, with claims against Maria Bartiromo allowed to stand.

April 2023: Smartmatic Lawsuit in Discovery Phase

As of April 2023, the $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Maria Bartiromo by Smartmatic was in the discovery phase.

October 2024: Promotion of False Story

In October 2024, Maria Bartiromo promoted a story from The Gateway Pundit, a far-right fake news website, claiming that Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes was trying to "hide" an "election integrity problem" in Arizona.