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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem rebuffed a question about her relationship with a top adviser while testifying before the House Judiciary Committee on March 4 about immigration enforcement actions.

When Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-California) asked Noem if she “had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski,” Noem replied, “I am shocked we’re going down and peddling tabloid garbage in this committee.”

Lewandowski, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump and the manager of his 2016 presidential campaign, is an adviser to the Department of Homeland Security.

“He is a special government employee who works for the White House. There are thousands of them in the federal government,” Noem said, adding that Lewandowski does not have the authority to make decisions for DHS.

Noem and Lewandowski’s relationship has been the subject of speculation before, but both have denied reports about a rumored affair. Both Noem and Lewandowski are married.

Watch Kristi Noem be asked about relationship with Corey Lewandowski

Kamlager-Dove’s question about Noem and Lewandowski’s relationship came during hours of testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on March 4. She similarly testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee the day prior.

Both days, Noem faced questions about, in part, DHS’ handling of the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minnesota earlier this year.

Opening her questioning period, Kamlager-Dove said she believed Noem’s judgment should be “unassailable” because of the nature of her role. The representative then asked questions about Lewandowski’s role within DHS and Noem’s relationship with him.

When Noem did not answer the question, Kamlager-Dove interjected, “It is okay for you to be offended by the question. But it is also a real question, and you should be able to answer the question clearly and without any hesitation.”

“If someone is asking if you or any federal official is sleeping with their subordinate, you should be wanting to answer that question, because it is not about your sex life, it is about your judgment,” Kamlager-Dove continued.

Watch the exchange in the video at the top of this story.

Another lawmaker, Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Florida), also later raised a question on Noem and Lewandowski’s relationship, pressing further about Kamlager-Dove’s question about possible sexual relations between the two.

“I really think you need to say the word ‘no’ into the record so that you can clear that up,” Moskowitz said.

Noem responded, “I think the ridiculousness of this and the tabloids that you are quoting and referencing are insane.”

“This has been something that I’ve refuted for years, and I continue to do that,” she added.

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at melina.khan@usatoday.com.