Photos allegedly showing the husband of former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem cross-dressing in private messages to multiple women were published by The Daily Mail on Tuesday, prompting a reaction from President Donald Trump.
The images were part of a trove of hundreds of messages sent between Bryon Noem and three women. One photo showed the father of three in hot pink underwear wearing a skin-colored shirt with large, faux breasts underneath. Another image depicted Bryon Noem posing with large fake breasts in a tight light blue T-shirt while making a kissy face. The New York Post reported the photos were taken while acting out a 'bimbofication' fetish.
Trump told the Daily Mail he was unaware of the photos and expressed surprise that the Noem family confirmed their authenticity. 'They confirmed it? Wow, well, I feel badly for the family if that's the case, that's too bad,' Trump said. 'I haven't seen anything. I don't know anything about it. That's too bad, but I just know nothing about it.' Kristi Noem's spokesperson said she was 'devastated' by the discovery and that the family was 'blindsided,' asking for privacy and prayers.
What the Right Is Saying
Trump and supporters of the administration expressed sympathy for the Noem family during what they called a difficult personal moment. The President emphasized his lack of knowledge about the photos and offered condolences, stating he 'felt badly' for the family.
Conservative defenders noted that Noem has been married to Bryon for more than 30 years and argued the private communications should remain confidential. They pointed to her continued service in the administration as special envoy to the Shield of the Americas as evidence of the President's ongoing support. Some on the right also noted that the photos were obtained through what they characterized as invasive hacking of private messages, raising questions about how the media obtained the material.
What the Left Is Saying
Democrats and progressive critics pointed to the irony of Kristi Noem's husband's situation given her record on LGBTQ issues. During her tenure as governor of South Dakota, Noem signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which advocacy groups said sanctioned discrimination against queer people. She was also sued by the Transformation Project, a transgender and gender nonconforming advocacy group, after the state terminated a contract with the organization.
Progressive commentators noted that Noem was fired from her DHS post in March following rumors of an alleged affair with her top advisor, Corey Lewandowski. The cross-dressing photos, they argued, represent another instance of private behavior contradicting public positions. Some Democrats in Congress had already called for a criminal referral against Noem following her dismissal from the homeland security post.
What the Numbers Show
Kristi Noem served as DHS Secretary for approximately six weeks before her March 5 ouster. She was replaced by Senator Markwayne Mullin, who was sworn in last week. The couple has been married for over 30 years and has three children.
During her time as governor of South Dakota, Noem faced at least one lawsuit from LGBTQ advocacy groups. The Transformation Project sued after the state terminated its contract. Fox News Digital was unable to independently authenticate the photos published by The Daily Mail.
The Bottom Line
The cross-dressing photos represent another chapter in Kristi Noem's rapid fall from grace within the Trump administration. After less than two months as DHS Secretary, she was dismissed following controversy over her book and reports of alleged personal scandals. The White House, Department of State and DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment. This remains a developing story.