Kristi Noem's Sketchy Plus One To Wedding Signals She & Husband Bryon Are Over

Dan Scavino's wedding to Erin Elmore drew all of the MAGA power players to Mar-a-Lago over the weekend. United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was among the attendees, but her husband, Bryon Noem, was not — and his absence has further fueled speculation about their purported marital issues. Of course, missing one public event doesn't necessarily denote trouble, but the biggest rumor involving Kristi puts her at the center of an extramarital affair with fellow Trumper Corey Lewandowski, who is also married. Given that Lewandowski also left his own wife at home, Bryon's absence seems especially peculiar.

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Although it doesn't appear as if Kristi had a plus one, the New York Post published photos of her entering the wedding venue alongside Stephen Miller (above), with whom she collaborated in shaping Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies. They framed the photo as a way for the Trump staffers to appear as a cohesive unit, despite disagreements regarding the recent ICE shootings in Minnesota. But social media has a messier theory.

Some netizens believe that Kristi and Miller were purposefully highlighted walking in together to minimize speculation about Kristi and Lewandowski. As one X user said: "Why did the New York Post crop Corey Lewandowski out of the photo, of Kristi Noem & Stephen Miller entering Dan Scavino's wedding at Mar-a-Lago?" They also posted a wide shot of Lewandowski, who was originally cropped out by the outlet, just a few feet away from the scene.

Kristi Noem, who is still married to Bryon Noem, didn't have to show up at a very public, romantic event without her spouse to fuel rumors of marital discontent. Much of the internet already believes that Kristi and Corey Lewandowski have been engaged in a secret romance. 

On Reddit, for example, users have speculated at length about the nature of Kristi's bond with Lewandowski, and many appear to believe the affair rumors. One user commented, "Poor Bryon. It's one thing to have your wife cheat and leave. That's bad enough. What's worse is years long pretending you are still together." A second wrote, "Everyone already knew this. Glad it's becoming national and international news though. Maybe it will hurt her future presidential campaign Oh who am I kidding? Trump did far worse and still became president."

That said, none of the involved parties have admitted to having an affair. In 2021, Kristi, who was the governor of South Dakota at the time, shut down the affair rumors with a scathing comment. "These rumors are total garbage and a disgusting lie," she wrote in a since-deleted tweet (via People). "These old, tired attacks on conservative women are based on a falsehood that we can't achieve anything without a man's help." She continued, "I love [my husband] Bryon. I'm proud of the God-fearing family we've raised together. Now I'm getting back to work."