Now they are six: Shine quits as Trump’s communications director
BILL SHINE, the White House communications director, abruptly resigned yesterday after just eight months in the job, adding to the rapid staff turnover under Donald Trump.
A statement from the White House said that Mr Shine would move into a role with Mr Trump’s re-election campaign and gave no reason for the switch.
Mr Shine becomes the sixth person to have held the top communications post in Mr Trump’s White House in just over two years – a much higher number than under previous presidents.
His departure reflects the challenge of working under Mr Trump, who at times contradicts his own spokesmen and bristles at the coverage he receives from the press.
The official announcement, which was unexpected, came with words of praise from the president and other senior officials in the White House.
“Bill Shine has done an outstanding job working for me and the administration,” Mr Trump said.
“We will miss him in the White House, but look forward to working together on the 2020 presidential campaign, where he will be totally involved. Thank you to Bill and his wonderful family!”
However, The New York Times reported that people close to the White House believed the new campaign role was just a way to save face and that the pair had failed to develop a close relationship.
Mr Shine was appointed in July 2017 and held the title of deputy chief of staff. He joined after decades of experience at Fox News, Mr Trump’s favourites cable news network. He was an executive at the channel until last year. Early on in the role, Mr Shine took credit for improving the backdrops for some of Mr Trump’s major broadcast interviews, leaning on his television experience.
However, at key moments in the recent presidency he was not by Mr Trump’s side. He was not present in Vietnam for Mr Trump’s meeting with Kim Jong-un last week.
Mr Shine was also on holiday in Hawaii in late December when Mr Trump was reprimanding Democrats for leaving Washington DC rather than striking a border wall deal to end the government shutdown.
Mr Shine said in his resignation announcement: “Serving President Trump and this country has been the most rewarding experience of my entire life. To be a small part of all this president has done for the American people has truly been an honour.
“I’m looking forward to working on President Trump’s re-election campaign and spending more time with my family.”