Kristi Noem Seeking Divorce After Husband's ‘Bimbofication’ Scandal, Her Mother Says
The Trump administration official has faced scandal herself.
The 34-year marriage of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her insurance-agent husband, Bryon, is headed to divorce court after he was caught in a “bimbofication” scandal in which he allegedly paid thousands to online fetish models.
“We knew this was coming, that they were going to get divorced,” Corinne Arnold, Mrs. Noem’s 77-year-old mother, told the Daily Mail tabloid.
Mr. Noem, 56, has reportedly moved out of the couple’s Castlewood, South Dakota, home. He was exposed in March as an active “bimbofication scene” participant who sent women pictures of himself in female clothing with balloons stuffed inside to mimic enormous breasts.
The Mail reported Bryon Noem had a fetish for “huge, huge ridiculous boobs,” and security experts said he left himself vulnerable to foreign intelligence agencies.
President Trump announced Mrs. Noem’s reassignment to the “Shield of the Americas” security initiative March 5. Oklahoma GOP Senator Markwayne Mullin succeeded her at DHS.
Her tenure at the agency was marked by several controversies, including the shootings of two U.S. citizens — Renee Good and Alex Pretti — by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis and a $220 million advertising campaign spotlighting her astride a horse at Mount Rushmore.
The former South Dakota governor, 54, has begun divorce proceedings, her mother said. The Washington Star’s search of South Dakota court records Friday revealed no such filings under either party’s name or under her maiden name of Arnold.
The couple are the parents of three adult children and also have grandchildren.
Mrs. Noem is herself no stranger to scandal, with longtime rumors about her relationship with Corey Lewandowski, a senior aide who accompanied her on numerous trips as a DHS “special government employee.”
During a March hearing, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove, California Democrat, asked her, “Have you had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski?” Ms. Noem replied, “I am shocked that we’re going down and peddling tabloid garbage in this committee.” Mr. Trump fired her the next day.
Mr. Lewandowski is himself married. Mrs. Noem’s mother, the Mail reported, called the claims of an affair a “bunch of crap” and said her children weren’t raised to act that way.
The Star has contacted Mrs. Noem’s State Department office seeking comment.
She was already back in the news Thursday. “A retired U.S. Navy commander and Democratic congressional candidate this week quit his advisory board role with NovaRed Mining, saying he could not remain after the Vancouver company hired” Mrs. Noem, The Northern Miner reported. “After making my concerns known and giving the company time to address them, I have now resigned,” Phil Ehr told the outlet. “I am willing to work with almost anyone so long as they have a moral compass. Kristi Noem does not.”
 | A guest post by
|