All posts tagged "kristi noem"

Corey Lewandowski plotting to court Trump by targeting defiant GOP leader: report

An ousted White House official is considering a campaign against a defiant GOP Senator to return to Trump's orbit, per a new report.

According to a New York Post exclusive, former advisor Corey Lewandowski is plotting to court President Donald Trump with a campaign that would pit rumored lover and former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem against Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD).

Thune has reportedly been a headache for Trump because of the stalled SAVE America Act, a proof-of-citizenship voting bill. Thune's seat will be up for election in 2028, when Trump will be out of the White House, but Lewandowski is reportedly plotting to return from "political exile" by pushing Noem for the Senate seat, The Post wrote. Thune told reporters earlier this week that his "assumption" is that he plans to run for re-election.

"Corey is looking for ways to get back in good with President Trump," an anonymous Republican strategist told The Post. Lewandowski told conservative podcaster John Fredericks in late June that Thune is "very susceptible to a very serious Republican primary challenge," The Post noted.

"The American people will be looking at someone who has a proven history of winning an election in South Dakota to maybe challenge John Thune," Lewandowski added.

According to The Post, multiple Republicans say that Lewandowski, a former campaign advisor for Trump, considers remaining in Trump's good graces to be essential, not just for him but for his public affairs firm, Lewandowski Strategic Advisors.

"He values that relationship more than anything else," an anonymous source told The Post. Noem, however, flatly said during a statue unveiling on Friday, "I'm not planning to run for Senate in 2028."

When The Post reached Lewandowski for comment, he said, "President Trump carried the state of South Dakota by nearly 30 points. The people of that state overwhelmingly support his agenda for America."

Lewandowski added, "No politician is immune to the will of the voters," and said every Senator should pass Trump's SAVE America Act. "I would encourage every incumbent senator to achieve this objective," he told The Post.

Noem and Lewandowski were spotted together in Minnesota, riding bikes, shopping and eating together, earlier this week, sparking more rumors about their relationship.

Kristi Noem's bronze statue ceremony devolves into a merciless roast

The unveiling of a bronze statue for a fired Trump Cabinet secretary is turning into an opportunity for online roasting.

Trump's former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem received a bronze statue in honor of her governorship of South Dakota, according to a post on X by CSPAN. Noem was ousted from the Trump administration earlier this year as her department dealt with the fallout of violent federal immigration enforcement and a scandal involving her husband, Bryon Noem (who wasn't at the unveiling ceremony).

Onlookers reacted to the unveiling of the statue, which depicts Noem with a cowboy hat and a horse, by recalling how Noem shot her dog, Cricket, her rumored affair with DHS advisor Corey Lewandowski, and more.

Journalist and political commentator William Coffin joked, "Bryon's statue unveiling was less well attended," and posted an AI-generated image poking fun at Bryon's reported cross-dressing.

The X account Prison Mitch similarly posted an AI-generated image of a statue depicting Noem pointing a gun at a dog, and wrote, "Now Cricket gets to watch Kristi Noem do it all over for eternity."

"Cricket would like a word," wrote progressive advocate and lawyer Jordan Rhone.

"Think everyone watching this held their breath for a sec when second figure was being unveiled," David Freedlander, a political columnist and features writer for New York Magazine, joked, referring to the unveiling of the horse.

"They forgot the dead dog at her feet," historian Brooks D. Simpson reacted.

"After they showed Noem first, I was expecting to see her husband with his freak fetish or Corey Lewandowski next to her as a part of the statue," right-wing influencer Ian Miles Cheong posted.

"Nice of them to include Corey in the statue like that," joked political commentator Andrew Donaldson, referring to the horse.

Filmmaker Cam Miller simply reacted to Noem's statue by writing, "But...why?"

Rumors swirl as Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski spotted together

Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was spotted in Minnesota with Corey Lewandowski, sparking more rumors about her alleged romantic involvement with her former aide.

Noem and Lewandowski were caught riding bicycles together Tuesday at Lake Minnetonka in Wayzata, Minnesota, where they were seen stopping at a market and cafe called The Grocer's Table, TMZ reported. Noem was wearing a flannel shirt and a floppy straw hat.

Noem has denied having an intimate relationship with Lewandowski, even after she was pressed about it before congressional leaders under oath. She referred to the allegations as "tabloid garbage."

President Donald Trump fired Noem in March, then shuffled her to a new position as Ambassador to the Shield of the Americas amid growing scrutiny over her leadership. Lewandowski has since left DHS and his position as an unpaid adviser to Noem, who has been going through divorce proceedings following the discovery of her husband's "double life" and "bimbofication" fetish.

The internet commented on the photos released by TMZ. Several raised their concerns after Noem, who was responsible for implementing Trump's aggressive immigration policies that began in Minnesota, was seen visiting the state.

"Get the f--- out of my state you disgusting slag. And Noem, too," Dane Rauschenberg, long-distance runner and author, wrote on X.

"If I were @KristiNoem, I simply would not feel safe in Minnesota after @ICEgov executed two Americans in their streets under her leadership," political strategist TJ Adams-Falconer, a former Obama spokesperson, wrote on X.

"The Love Birds," Scott Horton, Harper's Magazine contributing editor, wrote on Bluesky.

Corey Lewandowski in the crosshairs as DHS watchdog weighs criminal referral: WSJ

Federal investigators have uncovered evidence that Corey Lewandowski may have improperly steered government deals, the Wall Street Journal reported.

According to a Friday article by The Wall Street Journal, sources familiar with the matter say Lewandowski, a former senior aide at the Department of Homeland Security, is the subject of an investigation into whether he used his influence to award government contracts.

Investigators led by DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari are considering a criminal referral to the Justice Department, the Journal reported, noting that the referral is not imminent.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and White House officials have been briefed on the investigation, and Mullin recently informed White House officials about some of the investigation's findings, according to a source who spoke with the Journal, which added that "Mullin and his team have cooperated with the investigation."

Lewandowski, who was also Trump's campaign manager in 2016, served as a top aide to former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem until March, when Trump ousted Noem. The Journal noted that Cuffari "regularly clashed with Noem during her tenure at the agency."

According to sources for the Journal, investigators are examining DHS contracts signed during Noem's tenure, and "department officials had been surprised at how involved Lewandowski was in the process." Sources also told the Journal that Lewandowski "personally signed specific contracts" even though he wasn't a full-time government official.

The Journal reported that a spokesperson for Lewandowski denied that he issued contracts while at the department and that he hadn't been contacted by anyone regarding the investigation. The DHS inspector general's office neither confirmed nor denied the investigation, according to the Journal.

'Where do they find these people?' Kristi Noem ridiculed as divorce revelations unearthed

Reactions rolled in Friday following news that former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's divorce from her husband, Bryon Noem, was advancing after his alleged "bimbofication" fetish was exposed.

Noem's mother, Corinne Arnold, revealed more details about the couple's divorce in an exclusive interview with The Daily Mail. She disclosed that Bryon had moved out of their home in Castlewood, South Dakota, and described what happened after Kristi discovered her husband's reported "secret double life" online.

Social media users responded to the divorce and revelations from The Mail's explosive report.

"The MAGA Family Values cry has always been a fraud," attorney Tom Ryan wrote on X.

"I feel like there had to be an alternative to 'final blow,'" Newsmax White House producer Marisela Ramirez wrote on X.

"The latest from the clown car of the Trump regime," Frank D. Russo, progressive attorney and former legal counsel to the speaker of the California Assembly, wrote on Bluesky. "Where do they find all of these people? This is pathetic."

"Kristi Noem divorcing husband what happened to staying together for Christian values?" wrote "Patty," a frequent liberal political commentator, in a social media post on Bluesky.

The MAGA Family Values cry has always been a fraud....
Mom Reveals ICE Barbie’s Plan to Divorce ‘Bimbofication’ Husband https://t.co/N7qJopbSm3 via @thedailybeast
— Tom Ryan (@tomryanlaw) July 10, 2026

Kristi Noem revealed divorce at birthday bash marred by 'bimbofication' backlash

Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced she'd begun divorce proceedings at an "excruciating" family birthday party overshadowed by reports of her husband's alleged "bimbofication" fetish, her mother told The Daily Mail.

Corinne Arnold, 77, told The Mail in an exclusive interview that Bryon Noem has moved out of the couple's home in Castlewood, South Dakota, then shared how it went down.

A "blindsided" Noem had flown back to South Dakota for a grandchild's birthday party, she said.

"This was a big party where the whole family was there, Kristi and Bryon, all my kids, all my grandkids," Arnold told The Mail.

When Noem didn't cough up the details, her mom decided to push.

"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.'"

Noem's husband was reportedly living a "secret double life" and had been active online in the "bimbofication scene," sending fetish models photos of himself with balloons under women's clothing that imitated breasts.

Arnold referred to the discovery as the "unbearable final blow" to their 34-year marriage.

Noem was recently fired by President Donald Trump and demoted to a newly created, smaller agency, the Shield of the Americas. She also faces questions about an alleged affair with aide Corey Lewandowski that both deny.

So does Arnold.

"Kristi would never do that," Arnold said. "That’s not how I brought my kids up. And Corey’s got his own wonderful family and little kids."

White House axed RFK Jr. ad campaign after spending big on Kristi Noem flop: report

The White House killed an ad campaign by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after a costly Kristi Noem project, according to a new report.

According to an article by NOTUS, immigration-related ads that Noem filmed while she led the Department of Homeland Security made the White House "skittish" about greenlighting RFK Jr.'s health-focused ad campaign.

Two anonymous sources told NOTUS that RFK Jr. had plans for a "Take Back Your Health" ad campaign and was taking bids for "bold, edgy" pitches for TV and digital ads. NOTUS reported that the campaign would have cost as much as $20 million.

The ad campaign was meant to warn people about the dangers of processed foods, and RFK Jr. wanted to star in the ads with a device used by diabetics to track blood sugar, according to NOTUS. However, it was canceled a few weeks ago because the White House worried it would attract negative attention about overspending amid government cuts, NOTUS reported.

The White House's concerns stem from a recent series of ads featuring Noem that cost tens of millions of dollars in contracts and told undocumented immigrants to self-deport, including one that showed her on a horse, according to NOTUS.

Noem's ads aired last year, but she was fired earlier this year. Her replacement, Markwayne Mullin, is now demanding that U.S. Customs and Border Protection pull any lingering PSA-style videos of Noem that are still running at airport security checkpoints, according to HuffPost.

RFK Jr.'s Health and Human Services had been planning its ad campaign last year and reviewed more than two dozen different bids before zeroing in on three bidders, sources told NOTUS. HHS was looking at contracting with one bidder who pitched a Super Bowl ad and another who wanted to feature TikTok influencer Alix Earle, according to text messages viewed by NOTUS.

New DHS boss begs airports to pull Kristi Noem's videos: report

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin can't seem to escape his predecessor Kristi Noem, according to a new HuffPost report published Monday.

In an email obtained by HuffPost, Mullin demanded that U.S. Customs and Border Protection pull any lingering PSA-style videos of Noem that are still running in airport security checkpoints or any areas of entry to the United States.

"If so, please kindly remove them as soon as possible and provide confirmation of removal," Mullin wrote.

The videos were apparently still running months after President Donald Trump fired her from the job.

Noem, former South Dakota governor, was the face of the Trump administration's aggressive immigration policies and was fired on March 5. She was replaced by Mullin, a former Republican senator and Trump ally.

"Noem was not averse to cameras while running DHS, and it wouldn’t be surprising if she left behind some videos to purge," HuffPost reported. "Travelers were often greeted by PSA-style recordings of the then-secretary when moving through customs or Transportation Security Administration checkpoints."

In October 2025, Noem blamed Democrats in a TSA spot for the government shutdown and snarled airport security lines and "ethics experts said she violated the Hatch Act by issuing such a partisan message in her official capacity. Some airports refused to air the spot."

Trump's decision to cut her from the top job apparently came after her testimony before Congress in early March. She had claimed under oath that the president had approved the government-funded $200 million advertisement campaign that showed her riding a horse in a cowboy hat at Mount Rushmore and "talking tough on immigration." A Republican consulting firm with “long-standing personal and business ties to Noem” had received a “secret payday” for its work on the agency's media campaign.

Kristi Noem schooled online after South America gaffe: 'Buy these idiots a map'

Ex-Trump cabinet secretary Kristi Noem proved her poor geography skills on live TV, and online commentators let her have it.

During an interview, the former Department of Homeland Security chief flubbed as she answered NEWSMAX anchor Greta Van Susteren's question, "Who is our best friend in South America at this point?"

Noem responded, "We've worked so much with El Salvador," and "Costa Rica has been fantastic."

On X, onlookers mocked the former DHS chief for not knowing that those countries are in Central America, not South America.

"Can someone buy these idiots a map?" political strategist Mike Nellis demanded.

South Dakota-based political writer Michael Freeman pleaded, "Please don't judge the schools of my home state of South Dakota by the former governor."

"There was a time, kids, when government officials could find different countries on maps," lamented podcaster Hemant Mehta.

Noem's husband chased 'one last hoo-ha' with mistress as bombshell story broke: report

The husband of former Trump cabinet secretary Kristi Noem asked his dominatrix for "one last hoo-ha" as stories about his scandal broke, the model said.

The Daily Mail reported earlier this year that Bryon Noem carried on a years-long relationship with dominatrix Shy Sotomayor, who performs under the name Raelynn Riley. In a recent interview with former GOP strategist Rick Wilson, Sotomayor spilled more tea about her relationship with Bryon and how he reacted after their secret relationship was exposed.

The bombshell report published photos and messages detailing how Bryon enjoyed "bimbofication" at the hands of highly paid sex workers while his wife was the head of the Department of Homeland Security and the South Dakota governor before that. Bryon didn't deny messaging models and sending photos when The Mail reached out to him while his wife's spokesperson said she was "blindsided."

Sotomayor said that after she tried cutting off contact with Bryon, she "never heard from him," until the scandalous story broke.

"A day later, the news pops up. So he was still talking to me as people were like reporting on him and submitting like screenshots," Sotomayor told Wilson. "I think he was trying to get one last hoo-ha, you know, out of it."

She estimated that her contact with Bryon dropped off around "early May, April."

The Daily Mail exposé came out in late March. Noem was ousted as DHS secretary in March.