Donald Trump has been left shocked after one of his top allies' husband was caught cross-dressing in an incident which has been described as a "major security risk".
Bryon Noem, the husband of former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) chief Kristi, was seen crossdressing in newly-revealed photos.
A spokesman for the family confirmed the story, admitting the family was "blindsided" by the reveal.
Mr Trump has now revealed his surprise at hearing the Noem family confirm the story.
TRENDING
Stories
Videos
Your Say
He said: "They confirmed it? Wow, well, I feel badly for the family if that's the case, that's too bad.
"I haven't seen anything. I don't know anything about it. That's too bad, but I just know nothing about it," he added.
National security experts have said his activity could have opened up his wife, Kristi - who was removed from her role as Homeland Security Secretary earlier this month - to blackmail.
Multiple senior sources at the DHS told the Mail - which uncovered the images - that knowledge of Bryon's activity would have been disqualifying for top secret security clearances, over fears she could be blackmailed by foreign entities.
Kristi Noem has been removed from her role as DHS Secretary, but moved to a role as the Special Envoy for Shield of the Americas, aimed at defending US interests in South America
|GETTY
A current official said: "I can vouch for the blackmail claim. This would have been a disqualification for national security eligibility for anyone else whose spouse was hiding this".
While Mrs Noem ran the DHS and would have seen sensitive national security information and operational information on migration enforcement agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice), her husband was seen in multiple photos stuffing balloons under his shirt and talking online to fetish models.
The investigation revealed Mr Noem spilled personal information to three women from the "bimbofication" scene alongside sending the compromising photos.
In the photos, he is seen stuffing balloons under his shirt, making a pouty face, and wearing tightly-fitting green leggings.
Bryon also sent at least $25,000 to the three women via CashApp and PayPal.
US POLITICS - READ THE LATEST:
Bryon Noem was seated behind his wife during her Congressional hearing, where she swatted down allegations of an affair
|GETTY
Bryon Noem was seen stuffing balloons under his shirt, making a pouty face, and wearing leggings in photos
|GETTY
He confessed to the models his lust for "huge, huge ridiculous boobs", used a pseudonym for contact with the women, and openly admitted to having a wife and family.
Former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos said he was certain the images opened Mrs Noem up to blackmail.
He said: "If a media organisation can find this out, you can assume with a high degree of confidence that a hostile intelligence service knows this as well."
Mr Noem has not denied sharing the crossdressing photos or the explicit conversations.
Donald Trump said he felt 'badly' for the family after the revelation of Bryon's crossdressing
|GETTY
However, he denied that he made indiscreet comments about his wife and opened up the family to blackmail.
He said: "Yeah, I made no comments like that, that would lead to that. I deny the second part of that."
Mrs Noem was replaced by Markwayne Mullin - who was confirmed on March 24 - after a series of controversies including a $220million taxpayer funded "vanity ad", and an alleged affair with aid Corey Lewandowski.
While she was removed from Mr Trump's cabinet in March, she has remained in Government as the Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas.
A spokesman for Mrs Noem told said: "Mrs Noem is devastated. The family was blindsided by this. They ask for privacy and prayers at this time."