Kim Kardashian is accusing Kanye West of abandoning his parental responsibilities, according to people familiar with the situation, escalating a long-running and increasingly public breakdown in their post-divorce co-parenting relationship. The dispute, centered in Los Angeles, has resurfaced amid growing concern over West's reported absence from the daily lives of their four children.
Sources close to Kardashian say the conflict has been brewing privately for months, driven less by public disputes than by what they describe as repeated personal disappointments. Those familiar with her thinking say she believes West has effectively "deserted" his duties as a father, leaving her to shoulder nearly all caregiving responsibilities.
The tension moved further into public view after Kardashian addressed the issue directly on The Kardashians, offering a rare glimpse into what she says happens away from social media and headlines. During the episode, Kardashian described the situation as "so f**king sad," before disputing claims circulating online. "It's very confusing, because it'll be all this talk on the internet of [him saying], 'I'm keeping the kids,' [But] he's never once called and asked [to see them]," she said.
Friends of Kardashian say that contrast-between West's public assertions and his alleged lack of private follow-through-has become the core source of her frustration. They describe a widening gap between online rhetoric and day-to-day involvement that has strained an already fragile co-parenting arrangement.
West, for his part, has consistently rejected accusations of disengagement. He has claimed Kardashian made access to their children difficult following their divorce and has alleged she influenced the children against him. The former couple share daughters North, 12, and Chicago, 7, and sons Saint, 10, and Psalm, 6.
Behind the scenes, people close to Kardashian say she has tried for months to preserve stability for the children while keeping the dispute out of court and largely out of public view. That approach, they say, is now unraveling. "Kim is sick of begging him to show up, she's done being walked on by him, but more than anything, she's done letting him disappoint their children," one person familiar with her thinking said.
Another source described the shift more starkly: "She's gone around in circles with this for almost a year, but she's reached her limit. Now she's saying that he's deserted his duties as a parent." According to those close to her, Kardashian no longer believes silence protects her children from emotional harm.
The situation has prompted Kardashian to consider more drastic measures. One person familiar with the matter said she has discussed the possibility of changing her children's surnames from West to Kardashian, though no steps have been taken. "It's hard to imagine her going that far, but it's getting to the point where she's feeling backed into a corner," the person said.
Efforts to resolve the situation privately have reportedly failed. According to one source, Kardashian has even attempted to involve West's current wife in discussions, without success. "She wants to do something to get through to Kanye; she's even tried enlisting Bianca's help, but neither of them can get him to change his tune," the source said.
