Kristi Noem Files for Divorce From Husband Bryon After His Cross-Dressing Scandal Left Fired DHS Sec. 'Devastated'

Kristi Noem has filed for divorce from her husband.
Sept. 29 2026, Published 12:16 p.m. ET
Kristi Noem has filed for divorce from her husband, Bryon Noem, just months after his cross-dressing scandal rocked the political landscape, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to a court document filed in April, Kristi cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split.
Bryon Noem's Cross-Dressing Scandal Bombshell

According to court docs, Kristi Noem submitted divorce papers in April.
The bombshell news comes after Noem's life and marriage were rocked when a report exposed all of Bryon's sexual interests and kinks, including wearing fake br-asts and allegedly sending fetish models thousands of dollars.
Once news of the scandal first broke, a family spokesperson revealed Noem was left "devastated," as she was "blindsided by this."
In response, Bryon did not deny partaking in any conversations with fetish models, nor did he deny sharing photos of himself dressed as a woman.
The report listed "hundreds" of messages believed to have been sent by three women from the fetish scene, in which Bryon praised their heavily augmented appearances.
'I Feel Like This Is Truly a Sick Man'

The couple's marriage was rocked following Bryon Noem's cross-dressing scandal.
The 56-year-old also appeared to admit to being all about "huge, huge ridiculous bo--s." In the report, Bryon posted photos of himself wearing a skin-tight suit. In one snap, the father of three appeared to have put balloons in his shirt to make it seem as if he had his own br-asts.
According to one d-minatrix, Shy Sotomayor, Bryon still reached out to her, even while his marriage was dealing with the fallout of his shocking behavior.
"May 17th, he texted me on iMessage," Sotomayor claimed when asked about Bryon on the Uncloseted with Spencer Macnaughton podcast. "He's like, 'I've been a really bad boy.' I'm like, 'Oh, I know. I know you've been a bad boy.'"
Sotomayor, who claimed she had a nine-year relationship with Bryon, then added, "I feel like this is truly a sick man. I feel like he has a s-x addiction, and that is not something I would want to take advantage of."
Kristi Noem's Mother Speaks Out

Kristi Noem is said to have been left 'devastated' by the bombshell report.
Kristi and Bryon tied the knot in 1992 and welcomed three children: daughters Kassidy and Kennedy, and son Booker, 24. Earlier this year, Kristi, also known as "ICE Barbie," was set to split from Bryon, according to her own mother, Corinne Arnold.
"It has been difficult, but we knew this was coming, that they were going to get divorced," Arnold told the Daily Mail at the time. According to Arnold, after the report on Bryon's behind-the-scenes life was revealed, she flew to South Dakota to celebrate one of her grandchildren's birthday parties.
At this celebration, Arnold claimed she brought up the pair's marriage and recalled, "She doesn’t tell me what she thinks. 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.' And I said, 'Who is your lawyer?' And she said it was somebody from Sioux Falls."
Bryon Noem Was Allegedly Ready to Marry Fetish Model


Bryon Noem allegedly reached out to a fetish model days after his wife was fired by President Trump.
Arnold added, "I feel bad, sick that they're getting a divorce, but what else can you do? The way that I brought up my kids, I know that they don't just jump into big decisions. It took a long time for her to figure it out."
Meanwhile, another fetish model, Nicole Raccagno, claimed Bryon was also into funding her "trophy bimbo" lifestyle and was allegedly ready to propose to her just days after Kristi was fired by President Trump.
"Would love to marry you," Bryon allegedly wrote to the "bimbo model." Bryon has yet to officially release a statement to respond to the allegations or his divorce.



