Fox News Taps Fan Favorite As Maria Bartiromo’s Interim Replacement

Fox News has tapped Larry Kudlow to take Maria Bartiromo’s Sunday morning time slot through the midterm elections, putting President Donald Trump’s onetime economic adviser in the chair for the campaign’s final stretch.

Kudlow began his temporary run on “Sunday Morning Futures” on Sept. 27 and will host through Nov. 8, the Sunday after the Nov. 3 elections. Fox announced the arrangement Sept. 25 and said a permanent host would be named later.

His debut featured an interview with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The assignment follows Bartiromo’s abrupt departure, which Fox announced Sept. 3 without offering a reason beyond describing it as a business matter.

Bartiromo’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, has disputed reports that the veteran anchor was fired, signaling a potential legal fight over her exit.

“Make no mistake, we have the receipts and witnesses and they will come out whether through the courthouse or otherwise,” Freedman said in a Sept. 4 statement shared with USA TODAY.

Bartiromo, meanwhile, has hinted that her next chapter is coming. In a Sept. 10 Instagram post thanking supporters, she wrote, “I love you all and I promise to be back soon [with] my next moves.”

For now, Fox is turning to a familiar face with deep ties to Washington and Wall Street.

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Kudlow joined Fox Business Network in 2021 and hosts its market-close program, “Kudlow.” Before returning to television, he served as director of the National Economic Council and assistant to the president for economic policy during Trump’s first term, from 2018 to 2021.

“Throughout his tenure with the network, he has interviewed key politicians, business leaders and administration officials including President Donald Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Elon Musk, House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson, among others,” the network said in an announcement. “He has also provided economic and political commentary across FOX News Media platforms.”

His television résumé includes years at CNBC, where he was a senior contributor, hosted “The Kudlow Report” and regularly appeared on “Squawk Box.”

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Kudlow also served in President Ronald Reagan’s administration as associate director for economics and planning at the Office of Management and Budget from 1981 to 1985. He later held the chief economist and senior managing director posts at investment bank Bear Stearns, long before its 2008 collapse.

Bartiromo arrived at Fox in 2014 after two decades at CNBC. During her more than 12 years with the network, she hosted “Mornings with Maria,” “Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street” and “Sunday Morning Futures.”

Fox thanked her for her work when it announced the split. The network has yet to name her permanent successor on the Sunday program.

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