President Donald Trump’s administration attempted to use Black Friday as cover for its latest cringeworthy staffing revelation.

White House communications director Bill Shine’s financial disclosure form was finally released on Friday, nearly five months after he filled the vacancy left by Hope Hicks‘ departure.

Shine, who Trump hired in July following his firing from Fox News last year for mishandling numerous sexual misconduct complaints, received a $15.4 million severance package from the conservative network, per CNBC.

Around $7 million of that is owed to Shine this year and in 2019 via a “future bonus” and “options.”

That means the White House communications director will be paid simultaneously by Fox News and the White House.

Shine was a key part of the conservative network’s pervasive culture.

The former Fox co-president was named in multiple lawsuits as an alleged enabler of Roger Ailes, the ex-chairman and CEO of Fox News who resigned in 2016 after multiple accusations of sexual misconduct. Shine reportedly told subordinates not to speak up about Ailes’ alleged rampant abuse.


Ailes, a former aide to President Richard Nixon, advised Trump’s campaign after his dismissal from the conservative network. The Fox News founder died last year.

Shine was also involved in settlements with women who accused former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly of sexual harassment. O’Reilly was ousted from the conservative network last year after the hush payments surfaced and advertisers bailed on his show.

Since Shine’s hiring, which was praised by O’Reilly and Fox News’ Sean Hannity, he has been involved in banning reporters from the White House and instituting new “rules” for the media that only allow one question to be asked.

Shine’s wife, Darla, who was a producer at Fox News, reportedly has complained that she can’t use the N-word, spread baseless conspiracy theories about vaccines, and claimed that women in the military should expect to be sexually harassed.

The feedback loop between Trump and Fox News has been well–established.

National Security Adviser John Bolton, White House Strategic Communications Director Mercedes Schlapp, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert, U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, Shine, and several other members of Trump’s administration are former Fox News employees.