Noem's spokesperson told the outlet that the governor's claim was false.

"We've been made aware that the publisher will be addressing conflated world leaders' names in the book before it is released," Ian Fury, a Noem spokesperson, told Politico. A Noem representative did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

The South Dakota governor has seen her political standing crater in recent weeks just as she needed to showcase her skills if she wanted to become former President Donald Trump's running mate. Noem's book tour offered a perfect opportunity to put a capstone on her veepstakes shadow campaign. Instead, it's nearing disaster territory.

Noem has spent the past several days defending her decision to shoot her 14-month-old dog. She has defended disclosing the previously unknown story from years ago as a way to illustrate her ability to make tough decisions. In response, even fellow Republicans and Trump allies have tried to distance themselves from her.

"I've always been a strong advocate of a woman as VP, because I think you have some strong women — although maybe Kristi Noem is maybe a little too based," Steve Bannon, Trump's former White House chief strategist, told Donald Trump Jr. on Trump's "Triggered" podcast.

The Kim Jong Un mixup isn't even the only new concern about the book. Politico reported that Noem wrote about a conversation she said she had with Nikki Haley in 2021. In Noem's view, Haley was subtly threatening her.

"Hi, Governor, this is Ambassador Nikki Haley, and I just wanted to introduce myself and have a conversation," Noem wrote of the talk. "I just wanted to let you know that I follow you quite a bit. I have heard quite a bit about you, and you are doing a good job there in South Dakota. I was thinking that maybe you might like a mentor, and maybe I could be someone who could do that for you."

Noem added that Haley promised to let her know if she heard any bad things about her.

"'I've heard many good things about you," Noem recounted Haley saying. "But when I do hear bad things, I will make sure that you know. I've enjoyed talking to you. We will visit soon. Goodbye.' Click."

After the conversation, Noem said she called an aide.

"'I think I was just threatened by Nikki Haley?'" Noem wrote of what she thought Haley had said.

Haley's camp strongly disputes Noem's characterization. A spokesperson for Haley also claimed the conversation took place in 2020, not 2021.

"Nikki has long called and written notes supporting other women when they go through challenging times," Chaney Denton, a Haley spokesperson, told Politico. "She called Governor Noem in 2020 to encourage her when she was criticized for keeping her state open during Covid. How she would twist that into a threat is just plain weird."