Kristi Noem affair row: The key Corey Lewandowski answer that led to DHS boss's firing revealed

Kristi Noem was fired as the DHS chief on Thursday. It was revealed that her answer on Corey Lewandowski affair rumors doomed her.

Published on: Mar 06, 2026 4:43 AM IST

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Soon after Kristi Noem was fired as Homeland Security Secretary on Thursday, speculations about the potential reason behind President Trump's sudden decision started doing the rounds. The 54-year-old recently faced a House hearing about her alleged sexual relations with top aide Corey Lewandowski, and one of her answers potentially doomed her, a White House source told The New York Post.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, center, with her husband Bryon Noem, right, seated behind her (AP)

As per the report, Noem's stunning non-answer on a direct question about her affair was the ‘final straw’, and prompted Trump to fire her. The president was already boiling over Noem after she told senators on Tuesday that he approved $220 million in ads starring herself.

“The question about the affair at the hearing was actually the final straw. It was f—ing brutal,” one source told the Post.

“There was just no going back with the two hearings. It all became about her and him,” another source added.

Corey Lewandowski reacts to Noem's firing

Meanwhile, Lewandowski spoke to The New York Post about Noem's firing. “I would never try and assume to get in the mind of President Trump. I think he has his reasons for everything he does, and we have seen enormous success from his leadership at the White House," he said.

Reuters cited sources to report last week that Lewandowski entered the cockpit uninvited on a US government plane last year during a flight on which he later fired the pilot because Noem's blanket had been misplaced. Lewandowski said the facts as related by the sources were wrong, but he did not respond to certain questions about the incident.

Trump makes new DHS pick

Meanwhile, Trump announced that he has nominated Senator Markwayne Mullin to replace Noem. A member of the Cherokee Nation, the 48-year-old Republican senator from the central state of Oklahoma is currently the only Native American serving in the US Senate.

“Serving 10 years in the United States House of Representatives, and 3 in the Senate, Markwayne has done a tremendous job representing the wonderful People of Oklahoma, where I won all 77 out of 77 Counties — in 2016, 2020, and 2024! A MAGA Warrior, and former undefeated professional MMA fighter, Markwayne truly gets along well with people, and knows the Wisdom and Courage required to Advance our America First Agenda,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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