Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has officially filed for divorce from her husband, Bryon Noem, ending a 34-year marriage that has faced months of intense public scrutiny.
Court records show Noem is seeking to dissolve the marriage in Hamlin County, South Dakota, citing “irreconcilable differences.” The complaint was submitted in April but was not posted publicly online until Sept. 28. The couple married in May 1992 and share three adult children.
The filing confirms what Noem’s mother, Corinne Arnold, revealed months earlier when she said her daughter had told family members the marriage was ending.
“It has been difficult, but we knew this was coming, that they were going to get divorced,” Arnold told the Daily Mail in July.
At the time, Arnold said she had directly asked her daughter whether she and Bryon would reconcile.
“She said: ‘No. No. We’re going to get a divorce,’” Arnold recalled.
Kristi Noem’s attorney, Michael Sabers, has now confirmed the filing, saying Noem “has great faith in the South Dakota judicial system” and would reserve further comments for the legal process.
Bryon Noem, meanwhile, said through his attorney that he is saddened by the end of the marriage and hopes the couple can resolve the matter privately.
“Bryon is saddened that the marriage is ending and hopes for a private and amicable resolution,” attorney Tim Bottum said in a statement. He added that if court proceedings become necessary, Bryon would “welcome the opportunity to truthfully share his perspective.”
“Bryon’s priority is to protect the family and move forward as loving parents and grandparents,” Bottum said.
The divorce follows months of controversy surrounding the couple. Earlier this year, reports surfaced alleging that Bryon Noem had participated in online fetish communities and communicated with women involved in them. Photos also emerged that appeared to show him wearing women’s clothing and exaggerated prosthetic breasts. Noem’s representatives said at the time that the family had been “devastated” by the revelations.
Kristi Noem has faced scrutiny of her own over longstanding allegations involving former Trump campaign manager and adviser Corey Lewandowski. Noem has denied allegations of an affair, dismissing them as “tabloid garbage.”
The controversy came during a turbulent year for Noem politically. President Donald Trump removed her as Homeland Security secretary in March following mounting criticism over her tenure. She was subsequently appointed a special envoy for the Shield of the Americas, a security initiative focused on the Western Hemisphere.
Kristi and Bryon Noem were high school sweethearts and built their life together in South Dakota before her rise in state and national politics. They have three children and are now grandparents.
What was only a reported separation when Arnold spoke publicly in July is now moving through the South Dakota court system, bringing the couple’s marriage of more than three decades closer to an official end.