After 34 years, Kristi Noem is divorcing, says mother
Kristi Noem plans to divorce her husband of 34 years, Bryon Noem, her mother said, bringing a public end to a marriage that came under new scrutiny this year after allegations about his private life surfaced in a tabloid investigation.
Corinne Arnold, Noem's mother, told the Daily Mail that the former Homeland Security secretary shared the decision with family members this spring. The revelation comes months after a Daily Mail report alleged Bryon Noem paid adult entertainers and cross-dressed during role-playing encounters, which left the family "blindsided," according to a spokesperson.
"I said: 'What's the deal? Are you going to get together again?' And she said: 'No. No. We're going to get a divorce,'" Arnold told the outlet.
Arnold said Noem disclosed her plans while relatives gathered to celebrate one of the couple's grandchildren's birthdays.
"It has been difficult, but we knew this was coming, that they were going to get divorced," Arnold said.
Noem was removed from her role as Homeland Security secretary on March 5 and later named special envoy to the Trump administration's "Shield of the Americas" initiative. USA TODAY was unable to immediately reach Kristi Noem for comment.
Why is Kristi Noem getting divorced?
According to Arnold, Noem disclosed her plans shortly after the Daily Mail published allegations about Bryon Noem's private life.
The British tabloid reported that Bryon Noem paid adult entertainers and cross-dressed while role-playing. The outlet said its reporting was based on messages, audio recordings and photographs that allegedly showed him wearing women's clothing and using props.
Following publication of the report, a spokesperson for Kristi Noem told the New York Post that she was "devastated" by the allegations.
"The family was blindsided by this, and they ask for privacy and prayers at this time," the spokesperson said.
Who is Bryon Noem?
Bryon and Kristi Noem married in 1992 in Watertown, South Dakota, and have three children: Kassidy, Kennedy and Booker, according to the National Governors Association.
Bryon Noem works in the insurance industry and earned a degree in business finance from Northern State University. Before becoming an insurance agent, he coached basketball and worked on the Noem family farm.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: After 34 years, Kristi Noem is divorcing, says mother
Reporting by Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY / USA TODAY
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect
This story was originally published July 10, 2026 at 6:55 PM.