Larry Kudlow Takes Over Maria Bartiromo’s Sunday Fox News Slot Through Midterms

Fox Business host Larry Kudlow will temporarily take over Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” filling the seat left open by Maria Bartiromo’s abrupt departure from the network earlier this month. Kudlow will begin hosting the 10 a.m. ET Sunday program on Sept. 27 and remain in the role through Nov. 8, the weekend after the midterm elections, Fox News announced Friday. The network said a new host will be named at a later date. The move gives Fox a longer-term interim plan for one of its marquee Sunday programs after Bartiromo left Fox News Media after more than 12 years on Sept. 3. Fox initially did not provide a reason for her departure, later telling TheWrap it was a “business decision.” Former Republican congressman Jason Chaffetz hosted “Sunday Morning Futures” immediately following Bartiromo’s exit. Her departure also set off a reshuffling across the company, with “Mornings With Maria” becoming “Mornings With Fox Business” featuring rotating anchors and “Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street” rebranded as “FBN’s Wall Street.” Bartiromo’s role at Fox expanded beyond business coverage during her tenure, with “Sunday Morning Futures” becoming a regular platform for interviews with Trump and members of his administration. Kudlow joined Fox Business in 2021 and hosts the network’s weekday 4 p.m. program “Kudlow,” which in August topped CNBC’s “Closing Bell” in total viewers for the 59th consecutive month, according to Nielsen data provided by Fox. He previously served as director of the National Economic Council and assistant to the president for economic policy during President Trump’s first administration from 2018 to 2021. Before joining the Trump administration, Kudlow spent 25 years at CNBC, where he hosted programs including “The Kudlow Report” and appeared across the network’s business programming. The temporary assignment puts a former Trump White House official in the “Sunday Morning Futures” chair during the final stretch of the midterm election cycle. Trump, who was a frequent guest on Bartiromo’s programs, publicly criticized her departure from Fox earlier this month, saying he “couldn’t believe” she would no longer have her shows.