WASHINGTON, April 2 — Bryon Noem, husband of former US homeland security secretary Kristi Noem, has been accused of maintaining a secret online life involving cross‑dressing and explicit conversations with fetish models.
The Daily Mail reported that Noem, 56, shared photos of himself in revealing outfits and exchanged messages with women from the “bimbofication” scene, where performers modify their bodies to resemble dolls.
Former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos told the newspaper, “If a media organisation can find this out, you can assume with a high degree of confidence that a hostile intelligence service knows this as well.”
According to the report, Noem used pseudonyms while sending money through PayPal and Cash App, with payments totalling at least US$25,000 (RM100,575).
Some women later identified him after hearing his voicemail greeting linked to Noem Insurance.
Images reviewed by the Daily Mail showed Noem posing in crop tops, leggings and shorts, appearing to mimic exaggerated breasts. Metadata suggested the photos were taken in early 2025.
Jack Barsky, a former Soviet spy turned US counterintelligence asset, said: “It’s astounding that somebody whose spouse is at that level has that kind of bad judgment.”
When contacted by the newspaper, Noem did not deny explicit conversations or sharing photos but rejected claims that his actions endangered national security.
“Yeah, I made no comments like that, that would lead to that,” he said. “I deny the second part of that.”
A spokesman for Kristi Noem said: “Mrs Noem is devastated. The family was blindsided by this. They ask for privacy and prayers at this time.”
Kristi and Bryon Noem married in 1992 and have three children.
Their marriage has previously faced scrutiny following allegations of Kristi’s affair with political operative Corey Lewandowski, which she denied.
Security experts warned that Noem’s online activity could expose his wife to blackmail risks, particularly given her former role overseeing immigration enforcement and national security operations.
