The Untold Truth Of Kristi Noem's Husband Bryon

Unlike many political other halves, Bryon Noem — the husband of the United States' 8th Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem — doesn't appear to have any ambitions of making a name for himself on a national scale. In fact, the insurance company owner seems quite content staying put in the South Dakota community in which he was born and raised.

However, through no fault of his own, Bryon has found himself plastered across the headlines in recent years. Indeed, the state of his marriage has been repeatedly called into question thanks to a long-running rumor that Kristi had — and is perhaps still having — an affair with Donald Trump's former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. But in keeping with his preferred low profile, the innocent party has yet to publicly comment on all the gossip. 

Nevertheless, a tired-looking Bryon Noem was forced to come out of hiding amid all the affair rumors to accompany his partner when she testified in front of the House Committee on Homeland Security in late 2025. While we might not know about his feelings on the apparent infidelity, we do know several other things about the former First Gentleman of South Dakota.

Kristi Noem knows all about rural life. She grew up on her family farm in Hazel, South Dakota, and then when her father Ron Arnold was killed in a tragic accident involving a grain bin, she dropped out of her studies at Northern State University to help run it. So it's perhaps little surprise that her husband, Bryon Noem, instantly saw her as a kindred spirit.

Indeed, as he explained in a 2019 blog post for the West River Eagle, Bryon was also raised on a farm in the same state — in his case, in a 456-strong community near Bryant. He couldn't be prouder of his roots. "It's where I learned the values of hard work and self-reliance," he wrote.

Of course, despite climbing her way up the American political ladder, Kristi has still kept at least one foot in the countryside. She and Bryon still own the farm that's been in the latter's family for more than a century.

You could say that Kristi Noem's senior high school years were quite eventful. It was while studying at Hayti's Hamlin High School that she was given the honor of becoming the South Dakota Snow Queen while representing Bryant under her maiden name, Kristi Arnold. And slightly more notably, it was here that she also met her future husband.

Yes, Bryon Noem met Kristi in the late 1980s where they felt an instant attraction and, having both grown up on family farms, realized they shared similar values. They didn't waste much time in making things official, and walked down the aisle together at a Watertown ceremony in 1992 when they were in their early 20s.

Amid conflicting reports that their marriage was in trouble, Bryon took to Instagram in 2024 for an anniversary post which hinted that they were stronger than ever. "Happy 32 to my favorite gal in the whole wide world! It's been a heckuva ride and I'm so glad to have been on it with you. I love you Dear! You bless me. Happy Anniversary."

Despite the tragic details surrounding Kristi Noem's husband, such as dealing with constant affair rumors, Bryon Noem has never been afraid to celebrate his wife of more than 30 years in a public manner. Just take the 2019 blog post he wrote for the West River Eagle, for example, when he gushed about Kristi's political endeavors. "I've had the privilege to stand beside her as she's tackled some big issues and worked to make South Dakota stronger for the next generation ... I'm pretty proud of her!"

On the South Dakota Government website (via South China Morning Post) it was alleged that Bryon claimed walking down the aisle with Kristi in 1992 was the "best decision he ever made." Although the fact that this statement was made on his wife's slightly self-aggrandizing official website means its validity isn't 100%.

Kristi isn't averse to public displays of affection, either. In May 2024, she tweeted a series of loved-up snaps captioned, "Happy 32nd Anniversary to us!! I love you Bryon. Thank you for making me a wife, mother, grandmother, and living a life full of adventure with me!" However, Kristi Noem's sketchy plus one to one particular wedding signals that she and her husband may be over.

As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and Kristi and Bryon Noem certainly appear to be putting that idiom to the test in recent years. Indeed, following her appointment as the United States Secretary of Homeland Security, the former was required to set up base in Washington, D.C. However, judging by his Instagram activity, Bryon has decided to stay put in South Dakota. 

Many have wondered if Kristi Noem is still married since her living situation is beyond weird. Indeed, according to the New York Post, in 2021, Bryon moved out of the mansion he had shared with Kristi for several years since she was appointed South Dakota governor. Kristi apparently continued to reside there on weekdays before reuniting with her husband and son Booker at their farmland home at the weekends. Tongues continued to wag in 2024, though, when Booker relocated to Kansas City, leaving Bryon the sole permanent occupier of the family property. 

Between the affair rumors, the separate living arrangements, and the tons of awkward photos of Kristi Noem and her husband posing, the relationship screams divorce.

In late 2025, Bryon Noem decided to treat his wife, Kristi Noem, and their family, to a slap-up meal at Santo Tequila Mexican restaurant in Watertown, South Dakota, to mark her 54th birthday. But thanks to footage of the celebration which surfaced online, he inadvertently ended up causing a political scandal.

Indeed, as someone who appears to have made it her mission to deport illegal immigrants — most notably those from Latin America and Mexico — the Secretary of Homeland Security was slammed on social media for her hypocritical choice of venue. The fact that she was sporting a pink sombrero for the occasion didn't exactly help matters, either.

"This just shows what a total piece of cr*p she is mocking the people she has deported," one X user commented about the night out. "Why did this restaurant allow her in!" On Kristi's own Facebook post of the birthday celebrations, one person remarked, "Can ya see the irony in this?" Everywhere she goes, its seems Kristi Noem just keeps on creating scandals, and this one had her husband to blame.

Bryon Noem might be an old-fashioned kinda guy in most respects, but as his wife proudly revealed in 2019, he has no qualms about getting stuck in when it comes to domestic duties. Indeed, in a blog post for SD.gov, Kristi Noem expressed her gratitude to her partner for fulfilling all the chores when she's away on government business. "I know that I am blessed to have a husband who recognizes how wonderful it is for me to come back to a clean house and tended family, and he tries to make that happen."

"Bryon is a partner in all I do and a helpmate through peaceful and busy times," the 8th U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security went on to add before giving a slightly more backhanded compliment. "He's not perfect, but he's perfect for me." Of course, rumor has it that Kristi has now found an even more perfect man. In 2021, reports started to surface that she had been playing away with Corey Lewandowski, a political lobbyist who once served as Donald Trump's campaign manager. The former governor denied these claims, tweeting (via People) that "These old, tired attacks on conservative women are based on a falsehood that we can't achieve anything without a man's help." But the rumors continue to persist; we've even identified several glaring signs that Kristi and Bryon Noem are heading for divorce.

As well as complimenting his domestic skills in her blog post for SD.gov, Kristi Noem also paid tribute to her husband Bryon Noem's abilities as a father. The pair have three children together, Kassidy, Kennedy, and Booker, and according to the Secretary of Homeland Security, they have the perfect dad.

Kristi admitted that before they became parents, she was initially unsure of how Bryon would adapt to fatherhood. But the fact that he had an ideal role model in the shape of his own dad and shared the same faith in God, she had a "sneaking suspicion" he'd take to it like a duck to water. The politician then went on to list several specific examples of his nurturing nature, from giving Kassidy her very first bath to constantly taking Booker — who had various medical problems in his infancy — to the hospital.

Kristi also appreciates how her partner captured some of these moments for posterity. "When you look at our family home videos, you will find they were all taken by Bryon. I'm not sure it ever occurred to me to document those busy years. Yet there are hours and hours of video of the kids playing, talking, and sometimes just watching TV! It is almost as if he knew how special those moments were and wanted to save them for me to enjoy when I decided to slow down enough to appreciate them."

While his Secretary of Homeland Security wife Kristi Noem's role is very much on a national — and international — scale, Bryon Noem has kept things strictly local in his home state. Indeed, as the First Gentleman of South Dakota, Bryon wrote in a 2019 blog post for the West River Eagle that his main goal was to celebrate everything that South Dakota had to offer.

"I want to remind people of the hidden gems in our small towns — the places off the beaten path," an enthusiastic Bryon wrote. "These hometowns are the heartbeat of our state, and I want to highlight them. I want to remind people that these are some of the best places to raise a family or to start a business."

Bryon went on to point out that the area's rural populations have significantly decreased since the turn of the century despite the overall population growing by over 100,000. "Seeing our larger communities flourish is exciting, but I want to make sure we don't lose South Dakota's rural culture either. I want to show people that our way of life here is worth celebrating and promoting." He then implored readers to share their hometown stories and help put the Mount Rushmore State firmly back on the map.

As well as keeping top of domestic chores, running the family farm, and celebrating the hidden gems of his South Dakota home state, Bryon Noem also manages his very own insurance company. But according to the spiel on its official website, it's no ordinary insurance company.

"Noem Insurance is a community, family-based organization that loves dealing with people more than selling insurance," reads the mission statement. "It's just something we get to do while working with fine people."

As you'd expect from such a proud conservative, Bryon also runs the company with one foot firmly in the past. "If it were up to us, we would turn back the hands of time to a place when everything was done with a handshake and the small towns of this state were booming. Since we cannot, we want to bring that feeling back as much as we can."

Bryon Noem made history in 2019 when, thanks to his wife Kristi Noem's appointment as the 33rd governor of South Dakota, he became the state's first-ever First Gentleman. But while he was deeply proud of her achievement, he was less enthused about the title he was bestowed as a result.

"When Kristi was elected, people wanted to know what I would be called since there had only been First Ladies before, and ... well ... I'm not a lady," Bryon remarked in a blog post for the West River Eagle. "For anyone who knows me, you know that I'm not a very formal person. 'First Husband' seemed odd."

Bryon went on to reveal that he and Kristi had bandied about other possible alternatives including 'First Dude.' However, they eventually realized that 'First Gentleman' was the most suitable option. "[It] still feels pretty rigid, but I'm rolling with it," he added. "But, please, if you see me around ... just call me Bryon!"