Kristi Noem And Hope Hicks Had Rumored Affairs With Same Man (& Trump Had A Lot To Say)

For years, American politics has felt more like a daytime soap opera, as the storylines become more outlandish, sordid, and filled with rumors of affairs. One tawdry narrative arc involved Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem — best known for questionable behavior, such as publicly disclosing the time she shot the family's puppy because it was "untrainable." Noem works alongside her rumored former lover Corey Lewandowski at the DHS, as the Daily Beast reported in February 2025. The DHS shared in a statement that his official title was "special government employee" (per Politico) — it's a volunteer position that allows Lewandowski to seemingly act as an adviser, although specifics are unclear.

In 2023, the Daily Mail ran an expose claiming Noem, who is married, began an illicit affair with Lewandowski no later than 2019. Lewandowski was Donald Trump's campaign manager in 2016, and is also married. The pair were supposedly not subtle with the extramarital relationship, as author Alex Isenstadt wrote in his 2025 book "Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump's Return to Power." Isenstadt wrote (via Daily Mail), "Within Trumpworld, people had long gossiped that Noem had been having a prolonged extramarital affair with Corey Lewandowski. They were together all the time, and Lewandowski followed the governor around like a puppy dog." Noem has denied the speculation and both are still married.

As it turns out, Noem wasn't the only person in Trump's circle of acolytes who was speculated to get into bed with Lewandowski. According to author Michael Wolff's 2018 tome "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," former White House communications director Hope Hicks had a short-lived dalliance with Lewandowski as well, despite their 15-year age gap. As one might expect, Trump reportedly had a lot to say about all the rumored love affairs swirling around him.

In June 2016, Donald Trump's campaign fired Corey Lewandowski after he clashed with other members of the team. Michael Wolff claimed in his book "Fire and Fury" that Hope Hicks had reportedly been romantically involved with Lewandowski, and Trump had a trademark rude quip when she expressed concern for Lewandowski's future. "Hicks sat in Trump Tower with Trump and his sons, worrying about Lewandowski's treatment in the press and wondering aloud how she might help him," Wolff wrote (via Buzzfeed News). "Trump, who otherwise seemed to treat Hicks in a protective and even paternal way, looked up and said, 'Why? You've already done enough for him. You're the best piece of tail he'll ever have,' sending Hicks running from the room."

Meanwhile, "Revenge" author Alex Isenstadt said Trump was equally aware of Noem's reported flings with Lewandowski. Per the Daily Mail, "Trump referred to Noem as Lewandowski's 'girlfriend,' and when the subject came up, he would raise an eyebrow mischievously. Lewandowski, Trump said, knew how to bat out of his league." That being said, it's possible their rumored affair cost Noem and Lewandowski even more prominent roles in Trump's administration.

"Trump's aides knew if Noem was picked [for vice president], her relationship with Lewandowski would become one hell of a distraction," Isenstadt wrote (via The New York Post). Trump wound up tapping JD Vance for VP. After Noem became Secretary of Homeland Security, sources for The Atlantic claimed Lewandowski tried to snag a role as her chief of staff until the president turned that down, because he felt it would look bad given their rumored romantic past. Apparently, Lewandowski being a volunteer adviser to Noem was perfectly acceptable.