The Daily Mail’s revelation that Kristi Noem’s husband Bryon is a secret crossdresser has sent shockwaves across America with many now questioning just how much the former Homeland Security boss knew.
Every major US outlet – and many of the minor ones – covered the story and expressed shock at the sheer gravity of the Mail’s story that Bryon Noem had online chats with fetish models while wearing balloons for breasts and hotpants.
President Donald Trump himself weighed in on the scandal, telling the Daily Mail: ‘I feel badly for the family.’ He also expressed surprise that the Noem family confirmed the validity of the photos.
Conservative podcaster Megyn Kelly hailed the expose as an ‘unbelievable report from the Daily Mail’ and accused Bryon of suffering from autogynephilia, a term used to describe a man who is sexually aroused by the thought of himself as a woman.
Fox News host Sean Hannity said the expose has ‘taken the internet by storm,’ while CNN Correspondent Tom Foreman, appearing on Jake Tapper’s show, described the report and photographs as ‘ricocheting all over DC.’
The Anderson Cooper 360 show voiced concerns over national security, arguing that the expose highlights a need for better vetting practices by the White House.
A spokesperson for the former Homeland Security Secretary said ‘Mrs Noem is devastated’ and that the ‘family was blindsided by this.’
Conservative podcaster Megyn Kelly hailed the Daily Mail’s expose revealing Bryon Noem as a secret crossdresser as an ‘unbelievable report’ and blasted his ‘absurd’ fetish
Fox News host Sean Hannity, on his show Tuesday, said the Daily Mail expose has ‘taken the internet by storm’
The Anderson Cooper 360 show voiced concerns over national security, arguing that the expose highlights a need for better vetting practices by the White House
Fox News Chief Political Anchor Bret Baier addressed the scandal on his show Tuesday, telling viewers: ‘Kristi Noem is asking for privacy and prayers tonight.
‘She is said to be devastated by reports alleging her husband has been leading a cross-dressing double life.’
Liberal activist and LGBTQ campaigner Charlotte Clymer used the expose as leverage in her arguments against conservative policies.
‘I don’t care what Kristi Noem and her husband are doing in their private lives. It’s none of my business what consenting adults do in private,’ she tweeted. ‘But I do find it very strange that these people believe the private lives of the rest of us are their business while they’re doing this.’
The biggest concern, however, appeared to be the national security risks presented by Bryon’s online presence.
Megyn Kelly, who described Bryon as looking like a ‘freak woman,’ blasted his ‘absurd’ fetish and criticized him for ‘not even trying to hide his identity as the spouse of the Department of Homeland Security chief.’
‘It makes [Kristi] subject to blackmail because if the Daily Mail can find these pictures and this fetish by her married husband, so can our adversaries, and who knows who could go to Kristi Noem when she was DHS secretary and say, “You will do the following things or we will run to the New York Times with these photos”,’ she said.
The podcaster then went on to accuse Bryon of ‘cheating’ on Noem, saying: ‘This is a form of cheating. There’s no question.
‘Like, ladies, can you imagine if you found out your husband was doing this? And he’s not just looking at photos, he’s interacting with the so-called bimbos.’
John Berman, who anchored Anderson Cooper 360 Tuesday, cited the Daily Mail report on the show. He alleged the photos raise ‘concern about potential blackmail attempts and the vetting procedures used by the White House and Congress.’
Jake Tapper, left, accompanied by CNN Correspondent Tom Foreman, right, who described the report and photographs as ‘ricocheting all over DC’
John Berman, who anchored Anderson Cooper 360 Tuesday, cited the Daily Mail report on the show. He alleged the photos raise ‘concern about potential blackmail attempts and the vetting procedures used by the White House and Congress’
Fox News Chief Political Anchor Bret Baier addressed the scandal on his show Tuesday, telling viewers: ‘Kristi Noem is asking for privacy and prayers tonight. ‘She is said to be devastated by reports alleging her husband has been leading a cross-dressing double life’
His colleague Jake Tapper, who also questioned the government’s vetting process, appeared to further scrutinize the Noem family’s claims that the photos were a ‘shock and embarrassment.’
‘Of course, this is precisely the kind of matter that security experts have long said must be ferreted out during the confirmation process for cabinet members because it presents such an obvious target for bad actors who might want to blackmail or leverage that against Kristi Noem,’ Tom Foreman told Cooper.
Foreman added that there will likely be questions from Congress about how the White House missed this information.
If the White House were privy to Bryon’s behavior, he continued, there will be questions as to why it ‘went ahead with Noem’s confirmation in the first place.’
When the Daily Mail reached Bryon Noem by telephone he did not deny having explicit conversations or sharing photos of himself dressed as a woman.
It was also put to him that he had made indiscreet comments about his wife and could have endangered national security by exposing her to the threat of blackmail.
‘Yeah, I made no comments like that, that would lead to that,’ Bryon told our reporters. ‘I deny the second part of that.’ He then hung up.
‘Mrs Noem is devastated,’ her spokesperson said. ‘The family was blindsided by this. They ask for privacy and prayers at this time.’
