The Trump White House has been hemorrhaging staff at a record pace and, in many cases, has failed to hire replacements for the departed staffers, leaving West Wing severely depleted as the president engages with serious challenges at home and abroad, many of his own making. That is set to change as former Fox News co-president Bill Shine reportedly agreed to join the Trump administration. The exact role Shine will take is still not completely clear, but Fox News reports it will be a deputy chief of staff-level position and will likely be charged with overseeing communications, filling a hole left by former communications director Hope Hicks’ departure in March.

The White House has not yet announced the move, but the hiring of the former Fox executive is the latest example of an unprecedented back-and-forth between the White House and a broadcaster. Trump, of course, likes to watch tv and unsurprisingly likes to hire people he has seen on tv, including State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert, National Security Advisor John Bolton, White House Director of Strategic Communications Mercedes Schlapp, Treasury official Tony Sayegh, and Director of the National Economic Council Larry Kudlow, who worked for CNBC before joining the administration.

CNN cited a source that said Fox News host and Trump chum Sean Hannity had been pushing for Shine’s hiring “big time.” The rest of the Fox News-erati (past and present) was pretty pumped about the news:


Shine joined Fox News in 1996 as a producer and rose through the ranks to become former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes’ confidant and number two. A torrent of sexual harassment allegations dethroned Ailes at the network before his death and while Shine was not accused of sexual harassment himself, he was implicated in helping to create a culture of widespread harassment at the network, including covering for network stars like former host Bill O’Reilly, as well as Ailes. The accusations ultimately cost Shine his job in May 2017.

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