Oliver Darcy Tells Don Lemon He ‘Would Not Be Surprised’ If Trump Finds Job for Maria Bartiromo

Media reporter Oliver Darcy “would not be surprised” to see President Donald Trump invite Maria Bartiromo into his administration fold, noting the big question around Washington, D.C. was whether she’ll be the next press secretary.

Darcy, founder of the Status newsletter, joined Don Lemon on The Don Lemon Show on Friday to discuss Bartiromo and Fox parting ways after more than 10 years.

Fox confirmed they parted ways with Bartiromo and her top producer as well. They announced the statement in a short message on Thursday afternoon.

“We thank Maria for her work over the last 12 ½ years and wish her all the best on her next chapter,” the network said, shocking the media world.

Lemon played a clip of Vice President JD Vance discussing Bartiromo at a Thursday press conference, and the former CNN host laughed at Vance’s words, arguing it sounded a lot like he was lightly pitching Bartiromo as a replacement for former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

“Whatever she does, look, she’s gonna do great and I wish her all the best. She’s a very, very dear friend. I haven’t even talked to her, so I don’t know the backstory about why she’s decided to leave Fox News,” Vance said.

Lemon asked Darcy how many people texted him that day to ask about the possibility of Bariromo moving in as press secretary.

“A lot of people were asking that yesterday, and I think it made sense because everyone was just trying to make sense of why Fox News would send this random statement out on a Thursday afternoon, saying she had ended her career and we thank her for her 12-and-a-half years of service. And so everyone was wondering, what’s happening?” Darcy said.

According to a Darcy Status report, Bartiromo’s departure is linked to an incident in July when she allegedly shared a message with Trump’s team from Fox management. The note reportedly “instructed senior employees not to lend credibility to claims Trump had made during a prime-time address about the 2020 election and China.”

Bartiromo’s attorney Bryan Freedman put out a statement, denying she’d been fired by Fox or that she is no longer an employee.

He said:

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 and they 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.

Darcy told Lemon that it was “not the plan” for Bartiromo to make such a switch, but he wouldn’t be surprised to see the longtime Trump ally embraced by the president. Darcy noted Trump already has a number of former Fox News hosts under him, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and U.S. for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro.

Darcy said:

Everyone else it seems like has gone from Fox to the White House in some capacity so maybe that’s it. That’s not the plan. That hasn’t been the plan. That wasn’t the reason she left, but, Don, now that she is on the free market, now that she does need job, and she has this very close relationship with Donald Trump, unlike a lot of — I think we assume that everyone has a close relationship over at Fox News with Donald Trump.

There are certain people who have long-standing personal relationships that extend beyond, you know, the airwaves and his last 10 years in public office or public life. Maria’s one of them. She’s known him from his New York days for a long, long, long time and they’re very close, so perhaps Donald Trump will find a position for her in the White House so she has maybe a bit of a landing pad or parachute as she’s thrown out of the Fox News airplane. We’ll see. I would not be surprised just because of that relationship and just because so many people have gone from Fox News to the White House to work in the administration.

Trump took to Truth Social on Thursday night to address Bartiromo leaving Fox.

“I can’t believe Maria Bartiromo is no longer going to have her great show(s) on FoxNews/Business. Three different shows, always number one. Maria is a total professional, and a true warrior. Her fans, of which there are many, will not be happy. God bless you, Maria! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” he wrote.

Watch above via The Don Lemon Show.

Jason Cohen contributed to this report. 

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