Kristi Noem, the former South Dakota governor and Department of Homeland Security secretary, has filed for divorce from her husband of nearly 33 years, Bryon Noem, according to court records made public this week.
The petition was submitted in Hamlin County, South Dakota, on April 6, but the online court system did not post the documents until Monday. The filing cites irreconcilable differences as the grounds for the dissolution. The couple married on May 23, 1992.
Bryon Noem, who runs an insurance business in South Dakota, declined to comment when reached by Nexstar’s KELO on Tuesday, saying only, “I can’t comment right now.” Efforts to contact Kristi Noem, who now holds the title of Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, were unsuccessful.
The divorce paperwork emerged shortly after a tabloid published a photograph of Bryon Noem in late March. Weeks before that, he had attended portions of a House Judiciary Committee hearing where Kristi Noem testified. During that session, lawmakers questioned her about Corey Lewandowski, a former Trump campaign manager who advised DHS. Noem has faced repeated speculation about her relationship with Lewandowski; in 2021, a conservative outlet alleged an affair. She rejected the claim on social media, calling it “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,” she wrote at the time.
Bryon Noem was absent from the August 6 unveiling of his wife’s statue in Pierre. At the time, she said her family, including Bryon, had supported her during her tenure as governor.
Kristi Noem served as governor from January 5, 2019, until January 25, 2025, when she resigned to lead DHS. She was later removed from that post and appointed to her current envoy role. Her departure from the administration came amid broader personnel shake-ups, including a contentious Senate confirmation fight over the Army secretary and ongoing legal battles over transgender inmate policy.
The divorce filing adds a personal dimension to a political career that has weathered controversy and high-profile scrutiny. Noem remains a prominent figure in conservative circles, and her split from her husband of three decades is likely to fuel further speculation about her future in public life.
