Besides making headlines for her ruthless role in leading ICE and its activities across the US, Kristi Noem’s personal life also draws enough attention. Her alleged affair with Corey Lewandowski long led to speculation that she would be fired from her role as the DHS Secretary, which ultimately ended up as a reality.
Trump announced Noem’s firing on March 5, 2026, and reassigned her to the new position as Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas. Noem is set to leave her position on March 31.
More recently, Noem underwent congressional hearings over her department’s actions and spending. According to The List, Noem brought her husband, Bryon Noem, to some of her court hearings, which seemingly appeared as a means to repair her image in front of the media. She even thanked her husband for being there during her job performance review.
Bryon understandably looked rather grim, and when Noem thanked him, he did throw her a glance but did not give an acknowledging smile. Given how Noem was questioned brutally about Lewandowski and his role as a “special government employee,” Bryon was bound to feel uncomfortable.
Kristi Noem thanks her husband for being there 😬 pic.twitter.com/BAH3HPfL7o
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 4, 2026
Netizens quickly took notice of the same as one user commented, “I’m surprised she remembered that she has a husband” under the video of Noem thanking her husband. Another one added, “Second meeting she has brought her husband to these hearings. How much is she paying him $$$$$$$ /act like no affair with Corey.”
A third user asked, “Is Corey there too?” Another one added with great surprise, “She has a husband??” One user gave a straightforward explanation, saying, “Because she hopes it prevents questions about Cory Lewandowski’s positions in her purchasing choices.” Another one wondered, “Hmm so Botox noem lives in an open relationship..?”
One user added, “Reads: I’m smart and I’ll thank my husband, then everyone stops talking about my affair and no one will ever realize what I just did there She’s smart like Trump is smart”.
Besides being questioned about Lewandowski’s role in the government, Noem was also asked about the incident involving her request for plush add-ons like a queen bed, which further amplified her affair rumors with Lewandowski.
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Given the courtroom had visual aids, Bryon had to endure sitting through the visuals of those questionable sleeping arrangements. However, he managed his composure and his expressions did not give away anything else than the stoic look that he had all through the hearing.
Noem’s professional decisions regarding ICE and the merciless way they have been operating has also often been criticized though she does not seem to pay heed to them. She also has a disturbing history of killing a dog and a goat and according to North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, those incidents are directly related to how she handled the ICE situation in Minnesota as it violently escalated.
However, Noem, along with the rest of the Trump administration have stood behind the actions of the agents and that naturally gave Noem the professional validation. Now, the fact that Noem is brought her husband to her court hearings shows that perhaps she was keen on repairing her personal image in front of the media and the public in general.
