The Gridiron Dinner on Saturday saw bipartisan jokes about Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski. According to the New York Post, JB Pritzker, the Democratic governor of Illinois, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Republican governor of Arkansas, and journalists took a dig at the pair.
JB Pritzker gave a speech and addressed a range of topics, from his weight loss to a critique of Donald Trump, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. However, he also pointed out the alleged relationship between Noem and Lewandowski.
Here, he joked, “I heard that Kristi and Corey have a safe word – ‘pardon.’”
Always a fun night with friends at The Gridiron dinner which “singes but doesnt burn.” Great humour from @JBPritzker @SarahHuckabee pic.twitter.com/JjmI4fmEi5
— Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason (@IrelandAmbUSA) March 22, 2026
This alluded to another New York Post report claiming that Lewandowski bragged he could do whatever he wanted because Trump would pardon him. A source had revealed to the media outlet that Lewandowski said, “I’m not worried. I do whatever the f–k I want. DJT will pardon me.”
Another source mentioned that Lewandowski “was telling people he was going to get [a] pardon so he didn’t have to worry.” Lewandowski had denied these allegations to the New York Post.
He stated, “Never said that. Never asked for a pardon and have no reason to receive one.”
Pritzker further added, “Did you see the hearings right before Kristi got fired?… Tom Tillis ripping into her. She had no response. It was like her dog ate her homework. But we know that can’t be true.”
This referenced Senator Tillis lashing out at Noem, naming her agency a “disaster.” It happened during Noem’s appearance before Congress, as reported by CNBC.
The dog reference came directly from Noem’s own admission of shooting her dog. In her memoir, No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward, Noem recounted this incident, as reported by The Guardian.
Here, Noem wrote how she took her dog, Cricket, to a gravel pit and shot it. She claimed, “It was not a pleasant job. But it had to be done.” After getting backlash over this, Noem further clarified on X, “We love animals, but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm.”
Pritzker was not the only one; Sanders also took the opportunity to criticize Noem.
The Gridiron Club and Foundation dinner brought serious political journalists together on Saturday in a call-and-response: Reporters (and a few professional singers) put on sketches that gently teased politicians, who countered with roasting rebuttals. https://t.co/qnC5Pbu7U2
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 23, 2026
She stated, “Mike Johnson told me to do whatever President Trump says. John Thune told me to ignore whatever President Trump says. And Kristi Noem was a huge help. She said, ‘Sarah, just tell them that the president already approved everything.”
This was a reference to Noem claiming Trump approved of her DHS campaign ad at the Senate hearing. While Trump denied that claim later to Reuters, saying, “I never knew anything about it.”
Sanders further added, “In Arkansas, a nice podium is too much for a public official…but in Washington, it’s a $200 million ad campaign and three private jets.”
Apart from this, there was also a musical skit showing Noem-Lewandowski’s alleged love affair. It featured journalists dressed in ICE gear, as the New York Post reported.
The performance included the lyrics, “Your TV ads went way too far, Trump don’t like it when he’s not the star.”
