Kristi Noem Files for Divorce Amid Renewed Reports of Close Relationship with Corey Lewandowski
South Dakota Governor's divorce filing comes months after her husband's cross-dressing fetish was exposed, with reports suggesting her relationship with Corey Lewandowski has deepened.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has filed for divorce from her husband, Bryon Noem, citing irreconcilable differences. The filing, which occurred in April, became public recently after weeks of speculation and reports detailing Bryon Noem's cross-dressing fetish and explicit online exchanges.
Sources close to the couple indicated that the divorce was anticipated. Kristi Noem's mother, Corinne Arnold, told the Daily Mail in July that her daughter had confirmed plans for a divorce. "No. No. We're going to get a divorce," Kristi Noem reportedly told her mother.
Bryon Noem, 56, has reportedly moved out of their home and is living approximately 20 miles away. The couple, married since 1992, has faced intense scrutiny, particularly following reports of Kristi Noem's alleged affair with Corey Lewandowski in 2023. The governor and Lewandowski have been seen together on multiple occasions, including a recent outing in Minnesota in August, four months after the divorce filing. An insider described their relationship as "closer than ever."
Bryon Noem's personal life came under public examination in March when the Daily Mail reported on his cross-dressing and exchanges with online adult performers. Despite the scandal, reports suggest he continued to message some of these individuals in the following months. One dominatrix, Shy Sotomayor, stated that Bryon contacted her in May, five weeks after the initial expose, expressing that he had been a "very bad boy."
Meanwhile, Kristi Noem has maintained a public profile while keeping a lower profile in her hometown of Castlewood, South Dakota. She has attended events such as the Buffalo Roundup and a pheasant hunting event with former Homeland Security Secretary Greg Bovino. Noem also serves as a special envoy for the Shield of the Americas and a strategic adviser to NovaRed Mining Inc.
Locals in Castlewood suggest that while the divorce may be a national talking point, interest in the matter has waned within the community. "It's more of a national story," one resident commented. "The interest has kind of waned."