Signs Kristi Noem & Her Husband Bryon Are Headed For Divorce

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and her husband, Bryon Noem, reportedly met in high school, and they've been married since 1992. "Bryon often says the best decision he ever made was marrying Kristi," the South Dakota governor's website proclaimed during Kristi's tenure (via Heavy). In addition to having three kids and four grandkids, the Noems have supported each other professionally, owning multiple businesses together.

On one hand, their love appears to be going strong. In May 2024, in honor of their 32nd anniversary, the couple touted their mutual admiration on social media. "I love you Bryon," Kristi posted on Instagram, along with a carousel of photos. "Thank you for making me a wife, mother, grandmother, and living a life full of adventure with me!" On Facebook, Bryon expressed similar sentiments, writing: "Happy #32 to my favorite gal in the whole wide world! It's been a heckuva ride and I'm so glad to have been on it with you. I love you Dear!"

In addition to milestones, Kristi's also credited Bryon for his commitment during the twists and turns of her political career. "Bryon has been our family's anchor. He can be the funny guy, but also a serious motivator," she explained in a 2018 Facebook post. However, spite these loved-up declarations, some believe the Noems' relationship is in trouble. They point to persistent affair rumors, separations due to Kristi's political roles, and the Noem's changing social media presence as evidence of their claims. Let's take a look.

Back in 2019, Kristi Noem was Governor of South Dakota, and Corey Lewandowski was one of her advisors. The two spent a lot of time together hanging out at political engagements. In 2020, one individual mistakenly thought they were married based on their interactions. At the time, there were rumors that Kristi and Lewandowski were having an affair. In addition, some individuals claimed to have observed questionable behavior between them at Mar-a-Lago. "I saw her on his lap," one person divulged to the New York Post in 2023. "They were all over each other."

In 2021, things got more complicated when Lewandowski purportedly made inappropriate advances to a donor, Trashelle Odom, at an event. Soon after, the governor's office issued a press release stating that Lewandowski would no longer be serving as one of her advisors. At the same time, American Greatness cited individuals who asserted Kristi and Lewandowski were having an affair. Kristi refuted the claims in a since-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter). "These rumors are total garbage and a disgusting lie," she asserted (via The Washington Post) "I love Bryon. I'm proud of the God-fearing family we've raised together." 

However, Kristi and Lewandowski purportedly continued their association. One individual claimed they heard Lewandowski make sexualized comments about Kristi, and contended that he was a potential source of friction in Kristi and Bryon Noem's marriage. They claimed Kristi was trying to keep her connection with Lewandowski on the down-low. "Her husband would have lost his mind," if he had found out, they theorized to the Daily Mail.

While Bryon Noem did not comment publicly on the salacious claims about Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski, his purported actions caused some to wonder about the health of their marriage. Speaking to the New York Post, one individual asserted that Bryon hadn't lived with Kristi at the Governor's Mansion since 2021, midway through her first term. In a piece for the South Dakota Standard, Tom Lawrence referenced this claim, writing, "I do know that a moving van was spotted at the home at that time." Even so, Lawrence was quick to point out that the claim of Bryon leaving could not be corroborated. Lawrence went to multiple courthouses to determine if the Noems had filed divorce paperwork. However, he didn't find any such documentation.

In addition, Kevin Worster, reporter for SDPB, noted that back in 2020, Bryon and Kristi were living apart during the week. This arrangement allowed their youngest child to stay at the same school. The family also relied on this strategy during the time when Kristi was a U.S. Representative for South Dakota. They spent extensive time traveling back and forth from Washington, D.C. to spend time together. "Whenever Bryon and the kids were in town, we blew up air mattresses and threw down quilts and basically had slumber parties as a family," Noem recalled in "Not My First Rodeo" (via Minnesota Reformer).

While it's known if distance stressed their relationship, in a since-deleted 2019 Instagram post, Kristi publicly recognized that Bryon was taking on the majority of the household and parenting responsibilities during her governorship, and she praised him for his efforts.

After taking a look at Kristi and Bryon Noem's social media accounts, some people have noted the couple hasn't been sharing as many pics together. For instance, although Bryon wished Kristi a happy Valentine's Day in 2021 through 2024, he didn't post anything in 2025. Likewise, Kristi posted a Valentine's Day tribute to Bryon in 2024 but not 2025.

Besides the big milestone events, in the past, Bryon also made seemingly impromptu affirmations of love. "She is the love of my life and so blessed to have her as my wife," he enthused in a July 2020 Instagram post. "She is sweet and caring and super pretty ... and the best Gov in the land." Sadly, these heartfelt sentiments were marred by commenters dredging up the rumored infidelity involving Corey Lewandowski. These remarks were extra snarky in Bryon's 2024 Mother's Day message. "What's it like to be married to Lewandowski's side piece," queried one. Another took things further, wondering if Lewandowski could be their children's biological father.

However, Kristi and Bryon's changing roles may be part of the reason for their shift in social media habits. Both Bryon's Instagram and Facebook pages were connected to his role as first gentlemen of South Dakota. Over time, Kristi's social media has become more politically focused. One notable exception has been pictures with her grandchildren. On February 19, 2025, Bryon and Kristi were part of a big family pic. That same month, Kristi posted an Instagram photo where she wore a puffy Barbiecore dress and Bryon wore a tux as they stepped out at a White House event.