If you were to distill the Trump administration’s ethos into one scandal, Kristi Noem’s rumored relationship with Corey Lewandowski might be it. The Department of Homeland Security secretary and the former Trump campaign manager have been linked by whispers since 2019 — whispers that have only grown louder as Lewandowski now shadows Noem in an official-yet-unofficial capacity inside DHS.
The arrangement, as described in a Tuesday Slate column by Christina Cauterucci, is as unconventional as it is ethically questionable. Lewandowski currently serves as a “special government employee,” an unpaid volunteer position allowing him to clock 130 days a year in the role. But in practice, he functions as Noem’s de facto chief of staff — a job that, notably, remains vacant.
And he’s never far from her side. The two travel together, appear together at events, and, according to multiple sources, have been inseparable on the GOP circuit since the Trump administration’s first term.
Rumors That Won’t Die
Speculation about their relationship has persisted for years, fueled by accounts from political insiders and public displays that some describe as shockingly brazen.
- Mar-a-Lago, 2020: Two sources told the New York Post they saw Noem sitting on Lewandowski’s lap at a Trump resort event.
- CPAC, 2021: A source described “absurdly blatant and public” flirtation between the two at a hotel bar — in front of more than 100 conference-goers.
- 2022: Former Noem staffers told the Daily Mail they were instructed to keep the then–South Dakota governor’s schedule hidden from her husband.
Both Noem and Lewandowski are married to other people. Neither has publicly addressed the affair rumors in a way that’s put them to rest.
The Trump White House Way
Cauterucci’s take is blunt: this is “a perfect encapsulation of the Trump administration’s ethos.” She points to a laundry list of hallmarks — breaches of norms, nepotism, sexual impropriety, ethical violations, and doing shady things in plain sight — all wrapped in the MAGA brand of defiance.
There’s also the matter of how Lewandowski’s presence might exploit the “special government employee” designation. The unpaid role gives him unusual access and influence without the scrutiny or formal accountability that comes with a salaried, Senate-confirmed post.
A Pattern of Power and Proximity
The alleged affair is more than just salacious gossip — it highlights a pattern in Trump’s inner circle of blurring the lines between personal loyalty, romantic entanglement, and political power. From unofficial advisors wielding outsize influence to personal relationships shaping public policy, it’s a culture where rules bend for the favored few.
As long as Lewandowski continues to shadow Noem in her DHS role, the rumors — and the ethical questions — will follow. And in the broader context of the Trump administration, the affair speculation feels less like an anomaly and more like business as usual.