Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski’s alleged affair hurts everyone

The persistent rumor that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is having an affair with longtime Trump ally Corey Lewandowski isn’t just tabloid gossip, it’s a revealing case study in how MAGA leadership operates. While the Trump movement claims it’s here to restore order and crack down on chaos, the behavior at the top often tells a very different story. In this episode, I break down the controversy surrounding Noem and Lewandowski, what it says about accountability inside the MAGA world, and why questions about leadership and credibility could have real consequences for the movement’s future. I’m joined by Paul Waldman, columnist for MSNOW and Public Notice. Read his work here: paulwaldman.substack.com and Follow him on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social. Subscribe here on YouTube for more Standing Room Only, airing weekly Thursdays at 5 PM ET on YouTube. 🥳 Standing Room Only started as a newsletter. Join the party and get it in your inbox 2x a week by clicking here: https://www.salon.com/newsletter 🤓 Read Amanda Marcotte's writing on Salon.com here: https://www.salon.com/writer/amanda_marcotte 👍 Follow Amanda on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/amandamarcotte.bsky.social ✌️ Support Salon’s mission—become a member: https://www.salon.com/premium?utm_source=youtube-sro&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=become-a-member-ytsro 🎵 Like our Encore segment? Follow the Standing Room Only Playlist on Spotify to hear the full songs and more recommendations from Amanda: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5xGJv3dQ8BPbO2gMw53dvB