What Kristi Noem's Ex Staffer Said About Her Rumored Corey Lewandowski Affair

Kristi Noem's former aide spilled all the hot tea on whether the governor had an affair with Corey Lewandowski, the former advisor to former President Donald Trump.

Back in 2021, the conservative website American Greatness reported that the two married Republican figures were having an affair, including one source claiming it was well-known within certain GOP circles. "There are members of Congress close to Mar-a-Lago who have called the affair 'an open secret' and worried about Noem's viability as a national candidate and within the movement," they said. The report also hinted that their rumored affair had political backing, with Lewandowski trying to get Noem as a potential VP candidate for the Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign. Shortly after the news made headlines, Noem took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to deny the rumored affair and express her love for her husband, Bryon.

"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 wrote."I love Bryon. I'm proud of the God-fearing family we've raised together. Now I'm getting back to work." While new evidence has since come out regarding Noem and Lewandowski's affair, there is one person who has publically come out in defense of the former — and she wasn't buying the rumors.

Days after Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski's rumored affair made headlines, the South Dakota governor's former policy director, Maggie Seidel, broke her silence on whether she felt there were any merits to the report. "There's plenty to disagree with Noem on," she told The Washington Examiner in September 2021. "For one, I think it's outrageous that she continues to affiliate herself with Corey Lewandowski, but unequivocally, there's no evidence that she stepped out of the marriage. It's just an outrageous lie."

In addition to vehemently denying the affair, Maggie shared her unfiltered opinion on Lewandowski, who was embroiled in accusations of sexual harassment by Republican donor Trashelle Odom at the time. "He's horrible. She's not stupid. She knows that. He gave her access — I'm assuming that's why he kept her around," she added. "But if this doesn't sever the relationship, god, does she have bigger problems."

Shortly after Maggie's interview, Noem announced that she cut ties with Lewandowski, with the Governor's rep, Ian Fury, telling Politico, "Corey was always a volunteer, never paid a dime (campaign or official)." He added: "He will not be advising the Governor in regard to the campaign or official office." While the two had seemingly parted ways, professionally, the affair rumors came back in full force in September 2023.

Nearly two years after the initial report of Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski's rumored affair made waves, the Daily Mail released a bombshell report claiming to have new evidence of the two engaging in an affair. 

According to the publication's investigation, the South Dakota governor and political strategists' rumored romantic tryst supposedly started in 2019. The outlet claimed that Noem and Lewandowski had gone on numerous trips together for work-related reasons and romantic leisure, using private planes from donors to fly to luxury resorts. The exposé also included statements from individuals within their GOP circle who reportedly saw the two engage in romantic behavior at 2020's Republican Attorney's General Association gathering. "A lot of people were talking about it," one person claimed. Another source echoed similar sentiments to the news outlet, stating that two were an open secret. "Every time someone said something about how Kristi would be a savoir to the conservative movement, someone else would say, 'Right, the savoir that's f**king Corey Lewandowski," they claimed.

Social media users were quick to call out Noem over the second report, with many calling her a hypocrite for pushing her political agenda of maintaining so-called "family values" and "traditional marriage." One X user wrote, "Lots of smoke around this. If true, this is stunning hypocrisy." Another X user added: "I know this is everywhere but, she comes across as a holier than thou type, such hypocrites."