We're getting a clearer picture of what may have led to the abrupt firing of longtime Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo on Thursday – and if the latest reporting is accurate, it wasn't just a simple editorial disagreement.

According to multiple sources familiar with what transpired, Bartiromo wanted to do a story on China and its involvement in election-related conspiracy claims during the 2020 presidential election, a sensitive subject for Fox given the network's costly Dominion settlement and ongoing Smartmatic litigation. An executive with Fox Business reportedly sent producers a message making it clear that the story would not air.

That's not all. Oliver Darcy at Status News reports that Bartiromo then shared the network's internal guidance with senior White House officials after Fox bosses ordered staff not to pursue the story.

Bartiromo also allegedly took a screenshot of the message and sent it over to the White House. Fox leadership reportedly learned what she had done this when they received a phone call from administration officials; they apparently viewed the sharing of internal network communications as a fireable offense.

Dylan Byers at Puck News separately confirmed the new information, and reported that Fox pulled Bartiromo from the air after Aug. 9 before making her departure official on Thursday. 

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NEW: The Maria Bartiromo backstory, per multiple sources familiar....

Maria Bartiromo wanted to pursue a story related to China and 2020 election voting conspiracies... a major sensitivity for the network given its Dominion and Smartmatic lawsuits.

A Fox Business executive sent a text to Fox Business producers informing them that that story could not go to air.

Bartiromo took a screen shot of the guidance and sent it to senior White House officials.

Fox News leadership learned about that after receiving a call from the White House, which they viewed as a fireable offense.

Fox pulled Bartiromo from air after Aug. 9. She was fired today. I have also learned that her executive producer Patrick Ignozzi was also  fired after the annoucnement.

Maria had resigned her contract with Fox last February.

Fox said her departure was merely "business decision," but the new reporting suggests it went much deeper than that.

Byers tweeted that he'll have additional information to share on Friday, so this may not be the last surprising detail to emerge about Bartiromo's sudden exit from Fox.