Former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem files for divorce, court docs show

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. ( KELO ) – Kristi Noem, the former governor of South Dakota and former secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, has filed for divorce from her husband, Bryon Noem, according to court records.

Kristi Noem filed for divorce in Hamlin County, South Dakota, on April 6, but the documents were not posted to the online court service until Monday. The basis for the divorce is irreconcilable differences, documents show.

The couple has been married since May 23, 1992, according to the documents. Speculation about the Noem marriage has swirled around the couple for several months.

When contacted by Nexstar's KELO on Tuesday, Bryon Noem said, "I can't comment right now."

Attempts to reach Kristi Noem, who now serves as the Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, were unsuccessful.

The divorce paperwork was filed shortly after a tabloid leaked a photo of Bryon Noem, who operates an insurance business in South Dakota, in late March.

Weeks earlier, he had attended portions of a House Judiciary Committee hearing in which Kristi Noem testified. Some of the questions were about Corey Lewandowski, who served as President Trump's campaign manager, and his role with DHS.

Kristi Noem has been repeatedly linked to Lewandowski. In 2021 , a conservative online publication accused her and Lewandowski of an affair. She responded on social media, calling the allegations "rumors" and "total garbage and a disgusting lie."

"These old, tired attacks on conservative women are based on a falsehood that we can't achieve anything without a man's help. I love Bryon. I'm proud of the God-fearing family we've raised together. Now I'm getting back to work."

Bryon did not attend the Aug. 6 unveiling of Noem's statue in Pierre. She said that her family, including Bryon, had supported her during her time as governor.

Kristi Noem served as South Dakota's governor from Jan. 5, 2019, until Jan. 25, 2025, when she resigned to become the Secretary of Homeland Security. She was fired from the position and named Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas.