Kristi Noem has turned to Corey Lewandowski to manage a public‑relations response after reports surfaced about her husband Bryon Noem’s alleged cross‑dressing and online alter ego. Lewandowski is reported to be coordinating damage control while continuing to live with Noem at a Washington, D.C., military residence. Bryon says he will eventually tell his side, a move that could complicate the couple’s messaging. The revelations clash with the Noems’ conservative image and may affect Kristi Noem’s political standing.
Kristi Noem Taps Corey Lewandowski to Lead PR Response After Husband’s Alleged Cross‑Dressing Revelations
The Daily Mail said it had obtained hundreds of messages, involving three separate women, tied to Bryon Noem’s “bimbofication,” a fetish involving roleplaying as a hypersexualized Barbie doll in which a man wears massive breasts and tight clothing. / Daily Mail
Kristi Noem has enlisted longtime political aide and rumored partner Corey Lewandowski to manage public relations after reports emerged about her husband Bryon Noem’s alleged private cross‑dressing and online persona. Multiple outlets have reported that Lewandowski, who served as Noem’s de facto chief of staff at DHS and has long been the subject of affair rumors, has been acting as a steady presence while coordinating the couple’s response.
What Reporters Are Saying
According to the New York Post, sources say Lewandowski, 52, has moved into damage‑control mode and is helping shape the public response as the story unfolds. The reports say he and Noem, 54, have been staying in a house on Joint Base Anacostia‑Bolling in Washington, D.C., a residence customarily assigned to the Coast Guard commandant.
Corey Lewandowski is orchestrating Kristi Noem's PR response to the latest scandal engulfing the fired DHS secretary. / Andrew Harnik / Getty Images
An unnamed spokesperson for Noem — who has publicly opposed drag and been nicknamed “ICE Barbie” for her highly staged uniformed photo ops — told the Daily Mail the family was “devastated” and “blindsided” by the story about Bryon Noem’s alleged fetish. The Daily Mail reported that Bryon, a 56‑year‑old South Dakota insurance executive, had adopted an online alter ego described as a “bimbo,” including padded breasts and skintight leggings, and that he paid performers for interactions.
“I will at some point. Today is not the day. I appreciate your heart,” Bryon Noem told The New York Times when asked whether he would publicly explain his side.
Political and Personal Stakes
The revelations, if accurate, clash with the Noems’ carefully cultivated image of devout, traditional values and could damage Kristi Noem’s political brand. Insiders have long described Noem’s relationship with Lewandowski — who is married with children — as a well‑known Washington rumor.
The Noems were high school sweethearts and the pair were married in 1992, when she was just a 20-year-old college student. They have three children: Kassidy, Kennedy, and Booker, all of whom are in their 20s. / Facebook
Reports from July and August said Noem and Lewandowski had moved into a Coast Guard commandant’s house on the base and lived there rent‑free. News coverage also noted Noem’s DHS salary exceeded $200,000 and cited a Forbes estimate placing her net worth at about $5 million.
Former President Donald Trump removed Noem from her DHS post and also dismissed Lewandowski last month, according to media reports.
The Daily Beast has sought comment from Bryon Noem, Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski. Much of the coverage uses the word "alleged" to describe claims that have not been independently verified in a court of law; this article summarizes current reporting from multiple outlets and includes direct statements where available.
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