Kristi Noem attended a statue unveiling in Pierre, South Dakota, without her husband, Bryon, days after her mother told the Daily Mail the couple were divorcing. Corinne Arnold said she learned of the split at a family gathering and quoted Kristi as saying, "We're going to get a divorce." The reports follow a March Daily Mail investigation alleging Bryon participated in online fetish forums and spent more than $25,000 interacting with fetish models; no divorce filing has been made public.
Kristi Noem Appears Alone at Statue Unveiling After Mother's Divorce Claim; Husband Facing Online Allegations
Bryon Noem (L) and Kristi Noem (R) in May 2025Credit: ALEX WROBLEWSKI/AFP via Getty
Kristi Noem attended the public unveiling of a life-sized bronze statue and her official portrait in Pierre, South Dakota, on Friday, Aug. 7 — notably without her husband, Bryon Noem. The appearance came nearly a month after Kristi's mother, Corinne Arnold, told the Daily Mail that the couple were divorcing, though no divorce papers have been made public.
Noem, 54, served as South Dakota's governor from 2019 until January 2025 and was sworn in that month as Homeland Security Secretary in President Donald Trump’s second term, according to prior reports. She was dismissed from that cabinet post in March but continues to serve the administration as the first special envoy to the Shield of the Americas.
Family Claim and Mother's Account
Arnold, 77, told the Daily Mail she learned of the reported split at a large family birthday party attended by multiple generations. She described Bryon as affectionate with the children and quoted a brief exchange with her daughter about their future:
"Finally, I said: 'What's the deal? Are you going to get together again?' And she said, 'No. No. We're going to get a divorce.'"
Arnold added that Kristi told her they had retained a lawyer in Sioux Falls and said the news left her feeling "bad, sick that they're getting a divorce."
Allegations About Bryon Noem
The mother's comments followed a March 31 report from the Daily Mail alleging that Bryon Noem participated in online fetish forums. The investigation published images the outlet said showed Bryon wearing women’s clothing and prosthetic breasts, and claimed he spent more than $25,000 interacting with models connected to the so-called "bimbofication" community.
The report included excerpts the Daily Mail attributed to Bryon, in which he allegedly praised models and referenced an admiration for "huge, huge ridiculous boobs," and in some exchanges appeared to reference his marriage to a senior government official.
A spokesperson for Kristi told the New York Post on March 31: "Ms. Noem is devastated. The family was blindsided by this, and they ask for privacy and prayers at this time."
Context: Hearings and Rumors
The allegations surfaced weeks after Kristi Noem was removed from the Homeland Security post following contentious congressional hearings. Bryon attended some of those hearings, where lawmakers questioned Kristi about immigration enforcement and other policies.
During one hearing, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove asked whether Kristi had "sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski." Kristi rejected the line of questioning, saying she was "shocked we're going down and peddling tabloid garbage in this committee." Rumors of an affair between Kristi and her longtime adviser Corey Lewandowski have circulated for years; both have repeatedly denied such allegations.
To date, no public divorce filing has appeared and the family has requested privacy as media attention continues. The situation remains a subject of public and press scrutiny.
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