Kristi Noem divorce proceedings began after the former Homeland Security secretary filed paperwork ending her 34-year marriage to Bryon Noem. South Dakota court records show Noem filed the divorce case in Hamlin County, where the couple married and raised their family.
The filing cites irreconcilable differences as the stated grounds, according to court documents reviewed by several news organizations this week. Kristi and Bryon Noem married in 1992 after meeting during high school, beginning a relationship that lasted more than three decades.
Together, they raised three children, Kassidy, Kennedy, and Booker, while building lives around farming, business, politics, and public service. Noem previously served as South Dakota governor before becoming secretary of Homeland Security during President Donald Trump’s administration in Washington.
Her tenure at Homeland Security ended earlier this year after Trump announced her departure from the department during March. The divorce filing follows months of public scrutiny surrounding Bryon Noem and reports about his alleged participation in online communities.
Earlier reports described photographs and online interactions involving Bryon, while Kristi’s representatives said the family felt blindsided by those revelations. Public records indicate the divorce complaint surfaced recently, although some reports say the paperwork originally carried an earlier filing date.
Neither spouse has publicly disclosed detailed personal reasons beyond the irreconcilable differences cited within the South Dakota divorce documents themselves. The couple’s long marriage attracted renewed attention because both individuals maintained prominent roles within South Dakota’s political and business circles.
Meanwhile, the legal process will determine property, financial arrangements, and other matters connected with ending their marriage under state law. Kristi Noem divorce proceedings now move forward through South Dakota courts, with future filings potentially providing information about their separation.
For now, court records establish the filing and stated grounds, while further details about the case remain subject to proceedings.
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