Fox News THOUGHT Firing Maria Bartiromo Would Bury Trump's China Story… Then the Internet EXPLODED!

Fox News just fired Maria Bartiromo and apparently her biggest mistake may have been forgetting the first rule of cable news. You can ask questions, sure, just make sure they're the right questions. Because Maria Bartiromo wasn't some intern who wandered onto the set looking for the bathroom. She was one of Fox Business Network's biggest stars. She had been there more than 12 years, she had a close relationship with President Donald Trump, and according to reports in Intel, she wanted to keep digging into a story involving China, the 2020 election, and information coming out of the Trump White House. Now, Fox reportedly said essentially, eh, maybe don't do that. Now, Maria Bartiromo apparently chose door number two. She allegedly screenshotted an internal Fox message and sent it to senior White House officials. And that is where this thing went from awkward to somebody get HR on the phone, awkward, yeah. Now, Maria is gone. Fox says it was a business decision. Ah, yes, of course. The magical phrase that corporations use when the actual explanations require 17 lawyers, three conference rooms, and everybody suddenly forgetting their email password. But here is where this gets really, really interesting. Fox had 787.5 million reasons to fear another election controversy after its Dominion settlement. Smartmatic is still lurking around, China is sitting in the middle of the broader election security story, and Maria, well, she's no longer sitting behind a Fox desk. So, today, we're separating what we know, what's been alleged, and this giant question that Fox News still hasn't answered. What happened behind those doors? Subscribe right now because apparently asking questions is becoming an occupational hazard. And if you enjoy the show, just smack that like button on the way out. And remember, guys, the free Medicare health food chapter is down below in the description, phone number and their link, 909-563-8279, and the average senior saving about $1100 per year. I want to go ahead and open up this can of worms quickly. Let's start with the vanishing act. Fox News just ousted Maria Bartiromo, the world famous business anchor and a very high profile supporter of President Trump. This is coming as a shock to the worlds of both media and politics with people asking me what the heck happened. So, here's what I know so far. The immediate impetus for the Fox decision had to do with Bartiromo's disclosure of something to the Trump White House. Bartiromo had wanted to cover a Trump conspiracy theory relating to China and the 2020 election. But there had been guidance given out inside Fox directing shows not to do so, not to go down that conspiracy theory road. Yes, Fox's programs and personalities are largely pro-Trump. But there are times when the network will shy away from some of Trump's claims and conspiracies. And this seems to be one of those cases. So, Bartiromo was told not to cover the story. And then she showed that text message, that Word of her disclosure got back to Fox management and it was deemed a violation of her employment agreement. So, she was taken off the air last month. And on Thursday, Fox announced that she would not be returning. So far, we've not heard anything from Bartiromo. She hasn't responded to requests for comment and she hasn't posted anything to social media. So maybe at some point she will tell her side of the story. But I've been covering Fox News for decades at this point. And it's very rare to see one of the biggest stars suddenly ousted without even saying goodbye on the air. In some ways, this is like Tucker Carlson's departure from Fox back in 2023. And what I learned back then was, there wasn't just one reason why he was fired. There were many reasons. It might turn out to be similar for Bartiromo. Maria Bartiromo doesn't announce a nice, tidy goodbye. She doesn't say, see you soon and hop to the rival network with a big smile and a bigger contract. She just disappears. Her last broadcast, August 9th. And then, silence. Weeks of it. Weeks. Like her own fans wondering where she went. Finally, Fox News media breaks the silence. Effective immediately, after 12 and a half years, Maria Bartiromo is out. 12 and a half years, folks. This is not some intern. This is not some rotating weekend fill-in-nobody-remembers. This is the woman who was the face of Fox Business every single morning. And what reason does Fox give a business decision? Huh. Oh, great. Thanks. Super specific. Very illuminating. Now I understand what really has happened. A business decision. Come on, guys. That phrase tells you absolutely nothing and everything at the same time. It's what corporations say right before you find out the actual reason is 100 times juicier than a business decision. So buckle up, guys. I promise you, it is. And real quick, the story here is exactly why I created the Ron Yates Report. Because knowing Maria Bartiromo got fired, oh, that's interesting. It is. But knowing why it matters and what could happen next is useful. Anybody can tell you Maria's gone. Your phone can do that while you're brushing your teeth. What I want to know is, what does this tell us about Fox? Where does Maria go from here? What story suddenly becomes more important because they fired her? Yes. And what should we be watching right now that everybody involved has lawyers and microphones and apparently screenshots? This is the advantage I want you to have. The Ron Yates Report is where I break down what happened, why it matters, and what I'm watching next so that you're not three weeks late figuring out where the story was actually going. So if you want that informational advantage, there's a link in the description down below where you can join the Ron Yates Report. All right, guys, I want to talk about China, okay? So here's what Bartiromo reportedly wanted to cover and why her bosses reportedly didn't. When Fox News platformed unfounded allegations about voting machines used in the 2020 election, it cost them dearly, $787 million. That was just the Dominion lawsuit. The Smartmatic case is still open and it could cost the network another billion, maybe two. Considering that, it is not crazy to think Fox News might be a little bit more sensitive about voting claims and perhaps more willing to part with anchors who continue to put them at risk of even more litigation. So is that what happened with Maria Bartiromo? The newsletter status reports Fox fired Bartiromo after she shared internal company communications with the White House. Oliver Darcy writes in part after Trump delivered his unhinged primetime speech in which he pushed more conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. That Fox issued guidance to senior employees instructing them to steer clear of giving credence to Trump's delusional claims. Status reports, ultimately Bartiromo spilled the secret. Yes, what we're told is that there was a text sent out by a senior Fox business executive to the executive producers of several shows, including Maria's morning show for the day after the speech saying, we're moving on. We're not gonna dwell on this. We're not gonna give it more oxygen. And I think that was very much with the idea of given Fox's history with amplifying Trump's election lies and how it landed them in court and Trump's own history of pursuing and promoting falsehoods about the 2020 election, they didn't wanna be pulled back into that quagmire again. That text was shared by Bartiromo's executive producer with her, and she then forwarded it to somebody with close ties to the White House. And then the White House called Fox on the phone. So she had basically, it would have seemed, suggested the White House, hey, the reason I can't cover this more is because my bosses aren't letting me. And that led to some friction between the White House and Fox. So back in July, President Trump gave a primetime address. In it, he raised concerns, claims about China and the 2020 election, allegations involving stolen voter data, fake documents, foreign meddling in America's voting system, big claims, explosive claims, the kind of claims that either deserve a full investigation or deserve to be laughed off of stage. Bartiromo reportedly wanted to dig into it. A real story on the record. And according to multiple media reports, Fox business leadership told her in writing not to. Not, let's fact-check this first. Not, let's be careful. According to the reporting, staff were instructed to steer clear of giving credibility to the president's claims entirely. Now, think about that phrase for a second. Steer clear of giving credibility. This is not journalism, guys. This is a muzzle with a press badge on it. So now, picture this meeting, okay? Somewhere in a Fox News conference, somebody reportedly types out a memo, don't touch the China story, and they hit send like it's no big deal. Except, it is a big deal because Fox has a very, very expensive reason to be nervous about the words 2020 and election showing up in the same sentence. So, we'll go ahead and grab the receipts while we're here, literally. The $787.5 million dollar receipt in a minute. But, here's the setup. Bartiromo reportedly wanted to keep chasing the China angle. Fox reportedly wanted her to slow her roll. And, suddenly, this isn't Maria vs. China anymore. It's Maria vs. her own network's nerves. Somewhere, a lawyer at Fox News heard the phrase, China and the 2020 election, and spilled his coffee so fast, it's basically a workplace safety incident. So, here's the moment everything changes. According to reporting, Bartiromo took a screenshot, one screenshot, of that internal Fox guidance. You know, the one that was telling staff to back off the China story. And, she reportedly sent it straight to senior officials at the White House. Not a group chat, not a Fox producer, the White House. Somewhere in Washington, a phone rings. Somewhere at Fox, a stomach drops. Because, now, the White House reportedly calls Fox directly, asking why coverage of the president's own speech mysteriously went quiet. Fox execs, reportedly, are not thrilled. An internal memo, company memo, leaking straight into the West Wing. This is the corporate equivalent of finding out that your diary got mailed to your mother. 48 hours later, Bartiromo was gone. Here's where the whole internet split into two camps. Fox's paperwork reportedly treats this like a leak, a violation, a betrayal of the employee handbook, so to speak. The internet's paperwork, totally different word. Whistleblower. And, look, guys, words matter a lot here. A leaker sells company secrets for a paycheck. A whistleblower exposes something the public arguably deserves to know about. So, which one is it? Is it a leaker or a whistleblower? Well, Bartiromo didn't leak Fox's secret salsa recipe or the Wi-Fi password. She allegedly exposed that a major news network was quietly told to downplay a sitting president's national security claims. This is not gossip. This is the news with Maria Bartiromo. And they said she's no longer at the network. So there's clearly a fracture here, not only in whether or not this was justified, but in fact, in what's happened at all. Truth Social Post shared September 3rd, the president praised Bartiromo for her work after the surprise announcement from Fox that she parted ways with the network after 12 years. He writes, quote, I can't believe Maria Bartiromo is no longer going to have her great shows on Fox News Business. Three different shows, always number one. Maria is a total professional, a true warrior. Her fans, of which there are many, will not be happy. God bless you, Maria. Fox Media confirmed in a statement shared online that she had departed the network effective immediately September 3rd, but did not give a reason for the abrupt change. However, Bartiromo's attorney Brian Freeman, who represented Justin Baldoni in his high-profile case against Blake Lively, denies that she was fired and further claims that she is, quote, still employed by Fox. A statement to The Hollywood Reporter from Freeman reads in part, quote, The irresponsible reports that have been published stating that Maria Bartiromo was fired or is no longer an employee of Fox are absolutely and unequivocally false. Make no mistake, we have the receipts and witnesses that will come out, whether through the courthouse or otherwise. Those reporting her firing or the incredulous facts supporting that fiction have exhibited a complete and utter reckless disregard for the truth. You see, Fox is entitled to call it whatever protects their legal department's blood pressure, but you don't fire somebody in 48 hours for a shrug-worthy business decision. You fire them because the truth just became a very expensive house guest. Now, I do want to talk about why Fox got so twitchy in the first place. Back in 2023, Fox agreed to pay Dominion Voting Systems a jaw-dropping $787.5 million to settle a defamation lawsuit tied to 2020 election coverage. That's almost a billion dollars, guys, for talking. And Smartmatic's lawsuit against Fox? Still hanging around, unresolved, like an ex who just won't stop texting. So here's the joke that essentially writes itself. Apparently at Fox, the moment anybody whispers election fraud, every lawyer in the building teleports into the room like they got a bat signal wired straight to their malpractice insurance. Restraint might look suspicious to viewers, but to Fox's accountants, restraint looks like survival. Doesn't make it right, just makes it expensive, to be honest. Now, let's slow down for a second because this is where people either get it right or they completely go off the rails. President Donald J. Trump's July speech raised claims tied to China and the 2020 election. Allegations of stolen voter data, fake documents, interference attempts. Here's the thing nobody wants to say out loud. China tried something and China changed the outcome are two completely different sentences. They're not the same at all. They're completely different. One is a national security concern that's worth investigating. The other is a claim that needs actual proof before you scream it from a rooftop. So, no, we're not telling you that the election flipped because of a spreadsheet in Beijing. We are telling you a sitting president raised some serious allegations about a foreign adversary and a major news network reportedly told its own staff to tiptoe around it like it was made of glass. Like, I mean, you don't have to solve the whole mystery to notice that that's a strange way to cover the news. A major settlement in the lawsuit accusing Fox News of airing lies related to the 2020 election. Fox and Dominion voting systems agreed on a settlement of more than $787 million to avoid a trial. Scott McFarlane was at the courthouse when the deal was announced. This was the ultimate last minute settlement. The jury was seated. Opening statements were about to begin when both sides blinked and agreed to an eye popping dollar figure. Avoiding a trial that would have turned Fox News's biggest stars into star witnesses, the company will cut a $787.5 million check to Dominion voting systems. The president's lawyers alleging a company called Dominion. Fox was accused of knowingly airing conspiracy theories and baseless claims falsely linking Dominion to a scheme to flip votes during the 2020 election. So much for those claims that voter fraud never happens. Of course it happens. They knew it happened. That's despite evidence including internal messages in which Fox executive Suzanne Scott warned challenging Trump's bogus claims could hurt ratings. Today's settlement of $787,500,000 represents vindication and accountability. Lies have consequences. And the settlement included a public statement from Fox which Tuesday night said it acknowledged the court's rulings finding certain claims about Dominion to be false. Here's the part that should really feel familiar because Fox has been here before. After the 2020 election, internal Fox communications later exposed through the Dominion lawsuit revealed executives privately doubting election fraud claims while publicly worried about losing angry viewers. Translation, behind the curtain, it was less fearless journalism and more please don't change the channel. Oh, and guess who was smack in the middle of that mess? Maria Bartiromo. She was named in litigation tied to 2020 coverage back then, too. So this is not some brand new plot twist. This is Fox, Bartiromo, Trump, and China, a cast of characters that's collided before and just collided again. It's a different year, same nervous energy, same billion-dollar shadow hanging over the newsroom like a chandelier that nobody trusts anymore. So here's the delicious irony that nobody at Fox saw coming. Before this week, most casual viewers had zero idea that there was even an internal fight over a China story going on. Zero. But then Fox goes and fires one of its biggest, most recognizable stars, and suddenly the whole internet is asking one very loud question. Wait, why? Congratulations, Fox. You tried to make a headache disappear quietly. Instead, you handed it a microphone and a stage. And speaking of who's really steering the ship, Fox's corporation board includes some names that might raise an eyebrow. Long-time Washington insiders who know exactly how these stories get managed. Make of that as you will. If the goal really was making this go away, the result is the opposite of subtle. It's kind of like trying to sneak out of the party by knocking over the entire dessert table on the way out the door. Yeah, you failed. So here's a problem that Fox may not have thought through. 20 years ago, losing your network meant losing your audience. Full stop. Game over. Not anymore. YouTube. Podcasts. Streaming. Bartiromo doesn't need a Fox microphone to reach millions. She just needs Wi-Fi. Meanwhile, Fox is already rebranding her old shows. Mornings with Maria quietly becomes Mornings with Fox Business. It's kind of like swapping out the name tag and hoping nobody notices that the personality's gone too. Fox owns the studio, the lighting, the branding. Maria owns Maria Bartiromo. And this is the part that should genuinely worry the suits upstairs. Sometimes, firing the talent doesn't end their career, it just moves their leash. Deja vu, anyone? Back in 2023, Fox abruptly cut ties with Tucker Carlson. No warning. No goodbye tour. Just gone. He had one of the most loyal audiences on television. And, well, Fox still let him walk. So now, here we are again. It's a different anchor. It's different circumstances. And same unsettling pattern. And reportedly, Bartiromo has now retained a heavy-hitting attorney of her own. Which, fun fact, raises the obvious question circling social media. Is this the start of another legal showdown that Fox would rather not have? Because here's what Fox keeps forgetting. When you build your entire brand on personalities people fall in love with, and then you kind of show those same personalities the door without an explanation, the audience doesn't automatically stay loyal to the logo. Sometimes, the logo just becomes the thing that's standing between viewers and the person they actually tuned in for. Fox keeps learning this lesson. Fox keeps not learning it. So, Maria Bartiromo's out. Fox still hasn't given a real explanation beyond business decision, which, at this point, might as well be corporate for no comment. Please stop asking. The White House connection isn't going away. The China election story isn't going away either. And now, Fox has to fill a chair that made them millions for over a decade. Meanwhile, the push for stronger election safeguards, you know, things like the SAVE Act, just got a fresh jolt of public attention that it didn't have last week. In fact, many argue that if the SAVE Act was enacted, we wouldn't have this 2020 election discrepancy to begin with. So, here's the real question. Not, why did Fox fire Maria? What did Fox just set in motion by firing her? Because sometimes, companies don't bury a story. They just light the fuse and hand the whole internet a lighter by accident. So, guys, Fox tried to make a headline disappear. Instead, they handed America a mystery, a martyr, and a hashtag. Fox missed it. The mainstream machine tried to bury it, and you found it right here on The Ron Gates Show. I want you to think of somebody in your life who still thinks that this is just a contract thing. Send them this video. Not to make them angry. They're probably already teed off right now. Send it so that they know that the real story, the one that Fox really didn't want getting out, it's happening. And if today delivered what we promised, and I think it did, do me a favor. Hit the like button on the way out. It's free. Helps a lot of people find this who still have no idea what's actually happening. And before you go, this is exactly the kind of story I watch closely in The Ron Yates Report because the easy part is telling you Fox fired Maria Bartiromo. Great. We all know that. The valuable part is figuring out, well, what happens because they fired Maria Bartiromo? Does Maria go independent? Does Brian Friedman make a move? Does Fox lose viewers? Does China get bigger? Does the China story get bigger? Does something come out that suddenly makes this entire situation look very different? Because I tell you now, six months from now, I don't want to be that guy saying, wow, nobody could've seen that coming. Yes, we could have. We didn't know where to look. And that is what The Ron Yates Report is about. I follow the consequences, the pressure points, and the things that I'm watching next so that when everybody else finally notices where the story went, hopefully, we've already been standing there waiting for them to catch up. If that sounds like you, go ahead and join The Ron Yates Report using the link in the description down below because, look, don't just watch what happens. Watch what happens because it happens. We'll see you on the other side.