KUWTK: Kanye West’s Bipolar Episodes & July Presidential Run Timeline

The past month has been a whirlwind for Keeping Up With Kardashians fans. KUWTK star Kanye West launched an unlikely presidential bid while his marriage to Kim Kardashian imploded. Former fans are now encouraging Kim to boycott her husband’s campaign.

As the dust settles, it’s not entirely clear where Kim and Kanye stand. His campaign, while a long shot, is still in full swing. Because the stars are locked away at a secret island resort, they’ve been relatively incognito. While fans wait for the next development, let’s look back and see what has gone down so far. 

Campaign Launch

Kanye first announced his 2020 presidential bid in a tweet on July 4. Hardcore fans weren’t surprised. as Kanye had been flirting with the idea of a presidential run for years prior. Although whenever the subject came up, Kanye usually spoke of running in 2024. Back then, the political climate was much different and many laughed off Kanye’s political aspirations. But now – after four years of a reality star in the Oval Office – many took his announcement much more seriously.

Off the bat, Kim and Elon Musk both publicly endorsed and supported Kanye. But Kanye’s other “friend,” current President Donald Trump, was mum on the campaign. While Kanye didn’t vote in the 2016 election, he heavily advocated for Trump. At one point Kanye was even associated with a “Blexit” campaign to convince more African Americans to vote for the Republican party. All of Kanye’s supportive charades were conducted because the designer feels Trump has “dragon energy.” But in Kanye’s eyes, this dragon energy faded when Trump hid in a bunker amid nationwide protests against police brutality.

Because Kanye hadn’t filed any official paperwork at the time of his announcement, many assumed the campaign was a sham. Others called it an attempt to steal the Black vote from the current front runner, Joe Biden, to aid Trump’s re-election chances (which some called a racist presumption by liberal Democrats). This all changed when Kanye laid out his political views in a now-infamous interview with Forbes. Kanye explained how he aligned with Republican views but would be running with the “Birthday Party” because Trump is the current Republican incumbent.  Some of the more extreme statements include a desire to run the United States Government like the Wakandan government (a fictional kingdom in Marvel’s Black Panther), a claim that vaccines are “the mark of the beast,” and a claim that planned parenthood does “the Devil’s work.” 

Appearing on Ballots

After the Forbes interview, Kanye began to officially cement his presidential campaign. The Federal Election Commission announced a Political Committee named Kanye 2020 filed paperwork on July 16. It wasn’t confirmed that the committee was officially Kanye’s campaign committee, but after the designer’s name began to appear on ballots, there wasn’t really a question.

Next, Kanye set his eyes on the South Carolina ballot. He sent out a tweet encouraging his supporters based in South Carolina to sign a petition so he could appear on the ballot. Kanye also paid the necessary few thousand dollar fee – chump change for the billionaire. At Kanye’s rally to garner more support, chaos ensued.

Bipolar Episodes

Very early on in his campaign, sources alleged Kanye was experiencing a bipolar episode. When Kanye took the campaign stage in South Carolina, many spectators were alarmed by his behavior. While explaining his anti-abortion views, Kanye said he and Kim considered aborting their first child, North West. Kanye compared that discussion to how his mother, Donda, decided not to get an abortion against his father’s wishes. Then Kanye broke down crying “I almost killed my baby.” Unlike previous possible bipolar episodes, this situation wasn’t the slightest bit comical.

This isn’t the first time Kanye’s bipolar disorder made headlines. In 2018, the designer revealed he was diagnosed with the disorder and made it the focal point of his album, Ye. In the track “Wouldn’t Leave” Kanye hinted at previous “wild days” he has had in relation to his bipolar disorder. Kanye has been vocal in the past of how he dislikes taking medications because they stifle his creative flow. The unpredictable manic episodes have been evident in some of his more attention-grabbing moments.

The situation further escalated in the following nights when Kanye sent out a series of tweets attacking Kim. Kanye tweeted Kim was trying to fly down to Wyoming with Kris to try to lock him up like in the film Get Out. At one point Kanye also said he had been seeking to divorce Kim after she met with Meek Mill. He also claimed Kris Jenner and her boyfriend, Chris Gambles, who Kanye nicknamed “Calmye” are not allowed around his four children. Even if these allegations are false (which they almost certainly are), they were very hurtful to Kim.

Apologies

On July 25, Kanye seemed to come back to his senses when he publicly apologized to Kim in a tweet. He acknowledged he shouldn’t have made their discussion public and mentioned how he hasn’t covered Kim like she has covered him in the past. While this was a step in the right direction, their marital troubles were far from over at that point. It would take more than an apology to heal the wounds that had been breeding long before Kanye’s breakdown. 

In the following days, Kim flew to Wyoming to talk to Kanye in person. Paparazzi caught the pair in a car when they ventured outside of their ranch. Kim was clearly emotional and it seemed the conversation left her in tears. Multiple outlets reported Kim took the trip to tell Kanye their marriage was over. But to the surprise of many, Kim contradicted the reports and said divorce was the last resort. 

Not long after, the couple jetted off to a private island with their kids. The resort was described as a paparazzi proof “fortress.” Sources said the trip would be a long one so Kim and Kanye could focus on how to heal their relationship. Kim felt time with the family would really help Kanye because he has been spending most of his time holed up at their Wyoming ranch.

Re-ignited Campaign

Unfortunately, Kanye’s long-shot campaign for president is not over. On August 6, he tweeted what appeared to be a vision board from his 2020 campaign. The board featured his slogan in the center, a commonly used depiction of Jesus, the number 46, a Hebrew symbol, the 2020 vision slogan spray-painted on a car, American eagles, the earth, and a dove. All of the photos and symbols aligned with how the mogul has previously described his campaign. But this board is more likely located in his campaign headquarters rather than the resort where his family is staying.

One rule sources say Kim instituted on their extended vacation is a ban on political discussions. Sources have said Kim isn’t a fan of the presidential run, which isn’t surprising. Kanye’s outlandish, conservative views taint Kim’s perfectly manicured public persona. Not to mention, from what Kim has shared about her political beliefs, she likely leans to the left. Despite meeting with Trump at the White House, it can be assumed she’s not a fan considering her support of Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. 

Whether or not Trump is aiding the 2020 Vision campaign is still up for debate. Whether or not Kanye and Kim will save their marriage is also still up for debate. But one thing is for sure— Kanye will not be abandoning his political aspirations any time soon.

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