What’s Really Going on Between Corey Lewandowski and Kristi Noem?

Word on the street is that former South Dakota Governor and current U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and her right-hand man, Corey Lewandowski, are having an affair. And it’s not hard to see why the rumor has gained traction.

In case you didn’t know, Lewandowski served as Noem’s political advisor while she was governor of South Dakota, roughly from 2019 to 2021.

Not long after Noem was confirmed as Secretary of Homeland Security in 2025, Lewandowski began working for the department as well, initially believed to be a part-time role, though it ultimately turned into something far more permanent.

Given the fact that they’ve been working in close quarters for so long, rumors of an affair eventually surfaced. Those claims are believed to have started back in 2019 and have remained persistent well into 2026. So, are the rumors true? Here’s what we know.

For years, rumors of an affair between DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski have been floating around, so much so that the two have had to repeatedly deny them.

But in case you didn’t know, Noem is married to Byron Noem, whom she wed in 1992, and together they welcomed three children. Lewandowski is also married. He married a woman named Alison Lewandowski in 2005, and they share four children. Before Lewandowski, Alison was previously married to Brian Kinney, who tragically died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001.

Now, back to the affair rumors. While it’s public knowledge that both Noem and Lewandowski are married, sources claim they have been anything but discreet when it comes to romantic displays of affection. One source told The New York Post that during a 2021 event at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Fla., the two were very “handsy.”

“I remember it was so absurdly blatant and public,” the source said.

According to them, the two were at the bar of the Hyatt Regency Orlando, surrounded by plenty of others. The source added, “This has been a known, open thing, and we’ve all been waiting for it to blow up at some point.”

Another person claimed to have seen the two together in December 2020 at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, with Noem even sitting on Lewandowski’s lap. There have been other alleged sightings of the two showing the level of affection (in public) one would typically reserve for a spouse.

In September 2021, she tweeted, per the Daily Mail, “These rumors are total garbage and a disgusting lie. These old, tired attacks on conservative women are based on a falsehood that we can’t achieve anything without a man’s help.” She added, “I love Byron. I’m proud of the God-fearing family we’ve raised together. Now I’m getting back to work.”

The problem, though, is that no matter what type of work Noem seems to be doing, Lewandowski appears to be right there alongside her.