Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is divorcing her husband following allegations he engaged in a “bimbofication” fetish online, her mother has claimed.
Kristi Noem‘s mother, 77-year-old Corinne Arnold, told the Daily Mail her daughter has started divorce proceedings against her husband, Bryon Noem. They’ve been married since 1992 and share three children.
This comes months after the Daily Mail reported that Bryon Noem engaged in a “bimbofication” fetish and sent thousands of dollars to women online. At the time, Kristi Noem’s representatives told the New York Post she was “devastated” and “blindsided” by the report.
The Daily Mail had also reported that Bryon Noem insulted his wife in calls and messages with a dominatrix and expressed a desire to become a woman. He previously told The Independent the report’s claims are “not all true.”
The Independent has attempted to reach Kristi Noem and Bryon Noem for comment. The pair declined to comment when contacted by the Daily Mail.
“It has been difficult, but we knew this was coming, that they were going to get divorced,” Arnold told the Daily Mail.
Arnold recalled learning of her daughter’s plans during a family birthday party in late spring, shortly after the reports about Bryon Noem were made public. Arnold noted that she hasn’t seen Bryon Noem since.
“Finally, 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 said.
She added: “I feel bad, sick, that they’re getting a divorce, but what else can you do?”
Reports about Bryon Noem’s online activity surfaced just weeks after President Donald Trump fired Kristi Noem from his cabinet. At the time, Trump said she had “served us well,” and announced she’d be taking on a new role as the “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas.” She was replaced by Markwayne Mullin.
Trump’s announcement followed a series of tense congressional hearings, during which lawmakers grilled Kristi Noem on several issues, including the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis and a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign that featured her on horseback.
She was also pressed about an alleged affair with her top adviser, Corey Lewandowski, who reportedly left DHS with her. They have both repeatedly denied engaging in an affair.
In addition to her special envoy role, Kristi Noem has joined the British Columbia-based mineral exploration firm NovaRed Mining as a strategic adviser. The company announced her position last week.
