South Dakota unveiled a life-sized bronze statue of Kristi Noem in Pierre on August 7. The official portrait ceremony honoured her tenure as governor from 2019 to January 2025, yet it also got attention for a noticeable absence in the front row.
Kristi Noem attended an event without her husband Bryon
Bryon Noem did not stand beside his wife at the ceremony. Kristi Noem’s husband no-show follows explosive revelations that have engulfed the couple’s marriage in recent months. Kristi’s mother, Corinne Arnold, confirmed the fracture to the Daily Mail, which published on July 10.
She said she learned of the divorce plans during a grandchild’s birthday party. “This was a big party where the whole family was there, Kristi and Bryon, all my kids, all my grandkids,” Arnold told the outlet. “Bryon was holding and hugging the kids. It seemed like the old Bryon.”
Arnold pressed Kristi Noem for clarity on her husband during the gathering. “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.’” Arnold added that Kristi named a Sioux Falls attorney as her legal counsel. Divorce papers have not yet surfaced in court records.
Overall, the bronze statue event was a rare public moment for Noem since her turbulent exit from the Trump administration. She served as homeland security secretary for roughly two months before her firing in March. She now operates as the first special envoy to the Shield of the Americas.
On March 31, the Daily Mail published an investigation that affected the Noem household. The report accused Bryon of spending more than $25,000 on online fetish forums. Photos allegedly depicted him wearing women’s clothing and fake breasts while engaging with models in the “bimbofication” community. The outlet reported that messages showed Bryon praising “huge, huge ridiculous boobs” and appearing to reference his marriage in some exchanges.
All in all, no public statement from either spouse accompanied the event.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory.
