It’s perhaps not too shocking that Noem and Lewandowski were seen together, given that insiders have long described their relationship as an open secret in Washington, D.C. According to sources quoted by New York Magazine’s Intelligencer, the two have been linked romantically since at least 2019, when Noem was reportedly spotted sitting on Lewandowski’s lap at a post-conference event. “It was very clear they were together,” one source noted. Similar behavior was reported at the 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference, with witnesses describing their interactions as openly affectionate in a public setting filled with political figures and journalists.

In light of past events, their seating arrangement in Guatemala—merely next to each other rather than in a more intimate posture—might be seen as a modest gesture of restraint. This could be appreciated not only by their respective spouses but also by those present at the meeting, and perhaps by observers following the saga.

Interestingly, despite past indifference to the rumors, Corey Lewandowski appeared somewhat uneasy during the Guatemala meeting. Observers noted his tense posture and focused demeanor, suggesting he might have been concerned about the implications of their proximity. His stiff posture and straight-ahead gaze hinted at a possible awareness of the situation’s optics.

It is worth noting that despite their reported unwillingness to squash affair rumors in the past, Corey Lewandowski didn’t appear to be particularly comfortable sitting next to his rumored lover at their meeting in Guatemala. On the contrary, he appeared downright spooked, sitting ramrod straight, with his facial expression suggesting he may even have been taking deep breaths or tightening his jaw. Lewandowski’s eyes also stared straight ahead as though he’d seen a ghost … and considering everyone else’s calmer demeanors, we can’t help but wonder if he was concerned about the optics. 

Granted, given his and Kristi Noem’s rumored track record, it would be surprising if he were all that worried about one official picture of them seated next to each other. Moreover, while there have been rumblings that the affair could blow up Lewandowski’s career, the insiders who’ve spoken to CNN about his potential ousting have said that this comes down to his own behavior more than anything. That’s hardly a shocker. ICYMI, this is a man who has been fired in the past for some very bad behavior, including alleged sexual harassment.

At the end of the day, whether Lewandowski was uncomfortable sitting next to Noem or his scarily alert stance is just his default (which, yikes), something tells us we’ll never know the full extent of this rumored relationship — or if either one of them has any shame.