Kristi Noem’s marriage to her husband Bryon Noem has come under heavy public scrutiny after she refused to directly deny rumors of an affair during a congressional hearing. While Kristi built a high-profile political career, Bryon largely stayed out of the spotlight, focusing on their family farm in South Dakota and running an insurance agency. The couple, high school sweethearts who married in 1992, have three children and spent many years balancing family life with Kristi’s growing role in politics.

Rumors of a relationship between Kristi and political adviser Corey Lewandowski have circulated for years and intensified when he began working under her at the Department of Homeland Security. During a House hearing in March 2026, when asked directly whether she had a sexual relationship with Lewandowski, Kristi dismissed the question as “tabloid garbage” but did not give a clear denial. The exchange fueled speculation and reportedly increased pressure within the White House, placing both her political future and her family under intense public attention.