Kim Kardashian admits to inventing travel stories to explain Kanye West's rare visits

Kim Kardashian revealed that she creates fictional travel narratives to explain the long gaps between Kanye West's visits. The comments appear in Citizen Kim, a biography by Jonathan Van Meter that hit shelves on October 27. Kardashian stated that she maintains these explanations to ensure her children, North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm, retain a favorable view of their father.

The dynamic of their co-parenting involves irregular contact. Kardashian noted that West arrives every few months. She manages the daily communication by reaching out through his wife, Bianca Censori, or his manager. She continues to extend invitations to West, a practice that has facilitated shared family events, including a Christmas celebration that included Censori.

The current arrangement stems from a complex timeline. The couple began dating in 2012 and married in Florence, Italy, in May 2014. They welcomed North the year after they started dating. By July 2020, Kardashian was publicly discussing the impact of West's bipolar disorder on the family. She filed for divorce in February 2021. The courts declared them legally single in March 2022, and they finalized a joint custody agreement that November.

Kardashian linked the decision to separate to the instability caused by West's episodes. In an October 2025 interview on Call Her Daddy, she described how the marriage affected her own mental health and her presence for the children. She cited financial uncertainty and West's interactions with her family as key factors in her choice to end the marriage.

West has also addressed his health publicly. In a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal in January 2026, he confirmed a bipolar I diagnosis. He described a four-month manic episode in early 2025 and acknowledged that his illness influenced his behavior during that period. He stated that the diagnosis did not excuse his actions but explained them.

The new biography draws on hundreds of hours of interviews with Kardashian and conversations with dozens of associates. The 352-page book traces her career in television, fashion, and business, as well as her advocacy work. Van Meter, a contributing editor at Vogue and New York, also founded the magazine Vibe.

Kardashian's account provides a detailed look at the logistical side of their post-divorce relationship. She explained that she worries about West throughout the day. The book positions her life as extending beyond the romantic narrative, focusing on her professional achievements and personal resilience.