Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, 54, posted a rare video of her husband, Bryon Noem, at an airport this week in what appeared to be an effort to show support for her marriage.
Recorded at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the clip shows her saying she is 'just dropping off my husband, who's headed back to South Dakota.' He waves through the checkpoint. She waves back.
The post was shared alongside a message about federal funding for the Transportation Security Administration. Noem accuses Democrats in Congress of withholding funding that affects TSA workers, referring to a stalemate in federal budget talks that has left many unpaid.
But the timing of the video came as ongoing rumours about a close relationship between Noem and her senior aide, Corey Lewandowski, 52, have circulated. Both are married to other people. Neither has publicly confirmed any romantic involvement.
Despite denials, speculation has continued, partly because of the pair's frequent travel together and Lewandowski's prominent role at the Department of Homeland Security.
Democrat members of Congress are getting paid, but they’re withholding@TSAworkers pay checks.Democrats in Congress have chosen to not fund@DHSgov, which means that all of our TSA workers who showed up today are not getting paid.The men and women of TSA work hard to make…pic.twitter.com/35zUuIEvFw
Bryon Noem rarely appears in public, so his visibility in the clip was unusual. He lives mostly in South Dakota, maintains a low profile and is not involved in politics professionally. He does not hold public office and is typically present only during personal or family-related events, making moments like the airport video particularly noteworthy.
This has led some political observers to interpret the video as a deliberate attempt to show marital unity amid intense scrutiny of Noem's rumoured affair. The clip landed just over a week after a bombshellWall Street Journal report about life inside her department.
One comment on the post said: 'And you're still getting paid to fly around on your personal $70,000,000 Boeing 737 MAX and continue your affair with Corey Lewandowski in your 737 MAX bedroom.'
Airports across the US have had mixed reactions to similar political videos from Noem, with some refusing to display them on screens due to rules on political content.
Source: International Business Times UK
