Months after Donald Trump removed Kristi Noem from her post at the Department of Homeland Security, members of her family have divulged details of another domestic upheaval.
Questions surrounding Noem’s personal life have intensified as reports circulate that her husband, Byron Noem, is preparing to file for divorce.
She recently posted a family picture intended to capture a candid, cheerful moment. Yet the post sparked questions about who was absent and who actually snapped the photo.
The former Homeland Security Secretary believed that sharing a tender moment with one of her four grandchildren would strike a chord with online audiences.
On July 1, she posted a cozy living-room snapshot, cradling a toddler who seemed to be napping or simply enjoying some grandma-time cuddle moments.
Her appearance stood in stark contrast to the look she sported beside Trump—long brown hair and a more polished, glam style.
The woman once dubbed “Ice Barbie” wore a striped top, distressed shorts, and hoop earrings.
Her hair, now streaked with gray, was gathered into a casual pineapple bun.
Holding the youngest member of the family, Noem captioned the snap, “Luckiest grandma and I know it….”
The child is most likely Kennedy Frick’s baby—the daughter Noem shares with her daughter, who welcomed her first child in February 2025, per People.
Noem and Byron have three children and four grandchildren in total.
Rather than focusing on the moment, many social media users zeroed in on a conspicuous absence: Noem’s husband of 34 years.
Commentary reflected rising attention to the reports that a divorce filing was imminent, with some questioning why Byron hadn’t appeared in the post at all.
One observer asked, “Where’s Grandpa in this photo?! I’m disappointed she isn’t standing by her husband after all these accusations. Not the Christian I voted for.”
That remark touched on Noem’s long-stated image as a conservative Christian who campaigned on family values.
Others leaned into sarcasm, tossing out questions hinting at lingering rumors about her closeness to a subordinate.
“Is that Cory Lewandowski’s baby?,” “Where’s grandpa Corey?” and “Did Corey take the picture?” were among the whispered inquiries.
The chatter echoed years of rumors linking Noem to longtime Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski. Her mother has dismissed the affair allegations as “a bunch of crap,” but speculation resurfaced beneath the latest post.
The timing was conspicuous, arriving just days after reports that Noem and Byron were ending a 34-year marriage.
Her 77-year-old mother, Corinne Arnold, told the Daily Mail that Noem broke the news to relatives during a grandchild’s birthday party.
“It’s been difficult, but we anticipated this,” Arnold recalled Noem saying, noting that a Sioux Falls attorney was already handling the matter and that Byron had moved out but remained part of the family as grandfather and father.
“It’s sad,” Arnold added. “Byron has been part of our family for many years. The saddest part is that he’s a grandpa now, and the little ones adore him. We all love him, like you would a member of your own family.”
Noem’s marriage unraveled amid one of the most precipitous political falls during Trump’s second term.
Trump dismissed her as Homeland Security secretary in March after two grueling days of congressional hearings over an ad campaign reportedly costing more than $220 million.
During the House Committee proceedings, Noem faced questions from California Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove and others.
This morning, Trump rolled out a new, made up job for Kristi Noem, head of “Shield of the Americas.”
Noem is essentially getting a paid vacation for the rest of his term to keep her from leaking stories about him. pic.twitter.com/LslPCsY57s— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) March 7, 2026
Noem did not deny the allegations outright. Instead, she said, “I am shocked we are going down and peddling tabloid garbage. He is a special government employee who works for the White House. There are hundreds.”
She was also questioned about the jet saga while her husband sat just behind her.
A United States Coast Guard pilot is said to have been dismissed after failing to relocate Noem’s blanket to a replacement aircraft. The crew moved the secretary onto a commercial flight home when no substitute pilot was available, and only later reinstated the officer.
⛔️ HUMILIATING: Jamie Raskin just revealed Corey Lewandowski – the man Kristi Noem reportedly had an affair with – was on the plane with her when they fired the pilot… while her husband sat right behind her listening.‼️‼️‼️ pic.twitter.com/KAr7q8I09q
— Dr.Sam Youssef Ph.D.,Ph.D.,DPT. (@drhossamsamy65) March 4, 2026
Noem was shown photographs of a bedroom on a jet she claimed DHS used for deportees.
“You did not use a luxury jet with a bedroom in it?” … Does it have a bedroom?” she was asked.
Noem replied, “Yeah, we used a 737. I’ve been on it once. But it is being used by other administration officials and it is used for command and control flights for the department.”
Then came her swift exit. Within weeks, Trump appointed Markwayne Mullin as the new DHS Secretary, who began dismantling Noem’s legacy.
Trump later named Noem the Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas.
Long before her dismissal, she had already become one of the most polarizing figures in Trump’s orbit—driven by her stance on immigration, a high-profile publicity push, allegations of helping her daughter obtain a real estate license as governor, and years of Lewandowski rumors.
Today, with her professional life relatively quiet for years, Noem seems to be leaning into family life away from the limelight.
