A new court filing in rural South Dakota has ended months of quiet speculation about a well-known political couple. The Washington Examiner reported on the filing, which was submitted on Monday, Sept. 28, and names a former member of President Donald Trump‘s Cabinet.
Kristi Noem, the former Secretary of Homeland Security, has filed for divorce from her husband, Bryon Noem. The filing cites “irreconcilable differences,” according to documents obtained by Dakota News Now. She filed in Hamlin County. The couple married in 1992 and have three children. They had been married for about 34 years.
The filing follows a rough stretch for the family. The Daily Mail first reported allegations that Bryon Noem had secretly cross-dressed and chatted online with fetish models. Noem reportedly said she was “devastated” after the allegations surfaced. The outlet also published a selfie that reportedly shows him in a skin-colored top and pink shorts. As described so far, the divorce papers list only irreconcilable differences.
The allegations surrounding Bryon Noem
In July, Noem’s mother told the Daily Mail that her daughter planned to end the marriage. The new filing comes months after that report. Her marriage had also drawn outside attention before this year, so the split may not surprise those who followed her closely.
The news comes months after President Donald Trump fired Noem from her post at the Department of Homeland Security. Markwayne Mullin now holds the job. Before that, Noem served as South Dakota’s first female governor from 2019 to 2025. Her tumultuous time at DHS brought backlash over the tactics of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Her inner circle also drew public questions during that period.
Trump had also voiced frustration over a $220 million ad campaign tied to the department. The ads showed the then-Homeland Security secretary riding a horse and rounding up buffalo. They also used clips of Trump and law enforcement.
“Anyone who searches for freedom can always find a home here, but that freedom’s a precious thing, and we defend it vigorously,” Noem said in the ad. “From President Trump and me, welcome home.”
Noem testified that Trump knew about the campaign. The president publicly disputed that. “I didn’t know about it,” Trump said, before he fired her.
It is not clear yet whether the couple has agreed on any terms. She is yet to make any comments about her decision to end her marriage.
Published: Oct 1, 2026 07:47 am