Kristi Noem, former Trump homeland security chief, files for divorce

Kristi Noem, who was fired by Donald Trump after a rumbustious stint as homeland security secretary, is divorcing her husband, Bryon Noem, after 34 years of marriage, citing “irreconcilable differences”.

The divorce claim “for settlement purposes only” was disclosed in court records filed in Hamlin county, South Dakota, the state of which Noem was previously governor.

The document was signed by Noem’s lawyer, Michael Sabers, on 6 April – just over a week after the Daily Mail published pictures of her husband wearing inflated fake breasts under a spandex shirt.

At the time, Noem issued a statement saying she was “devastated” by the images, adding that “the family have been blindsided by this”.

The papers were only filed in court this week, according to the New York Times.

Sabers confirmed Kristi Noem had filed for divorce and said she would reserve further comments for the legal process.

Tim Bottum, Bryon Noem’s attorney, said his client was “saddened that the marriage is ending” and would welcome the opportunity to share his perspective if court proceedings were necessary.

“Bryon’s priority is to protect the family and move forward as loving parents and grandparents,” Bottum said in a statement.

The revelations came weeks after Noem had lost her job at the department of homeland security.

The state of her marriage had already been subject of speculation amid rumors that she was in a relationship with her aide at the department, Corey Lewandowski.

In a Capitol Hill on 4 March, a Democratic member of Congress asked her openly whether she had sexual relations with Lewandowski.

Answering under oath, Noem – who was accompanied to the hearing by her husband – dismissed the question as “tabloid garbage” but did not say no.

She was fired the following day after Trump was reportedly angered by her answers to questions about a taxpayer-funded publicity campaign that promoted Noem’s image. Noem told the committee that Trump had signed off on the spending.

Noem was replaced by Markwayne Mullin as homeland security secretary after a controversial period that had included the shooting deaths of protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis during an immigration enforcement surge. Noem came under intense criticism after calling Good and Pretti “domestic terrorists”.

Noem, 54, married Bryon Noem, 56, in 1992. They have three adult children.